


The Fire Station

by Earthprincess4



Category: Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen, Welcome to Sanditon
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, HEA, Happily Ever After, Kidlotte, Romance, Sidlotte - Sanditon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:41:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 102,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25364779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earthprincess4/pseuds/Earthprincess4
Summary: Charlotte has been enlisted to take photos of some fireman for a fundraiser calendar. A certain fireman takes notice of her.Originally written as a oneshot, but by popular demand Fireman Sidney will go on for a few more chapters.***NOW COMPLETE***
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker
Comments: 384
Kudos: 473





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sanditon Sisterhood](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Sanditon+Sisterhood).



I arrived at the fire station feeling rather nervous but determined to be as professional as possible. I didn’t know any of the firefighters and was not really sure what to expect. All I knew was they were doing a calendar fundraiser for the local school that had caught on fire and destroyed most of the library. 

My job was to take hot pictures of these fireman that would entice people to buy them. When I got the call to do the shoot, I was excited to be a part of such a worthy cause in our community, but it was quite intimidating. 

I got out of my car and gathered up my camera bag, throwing it over my shoulder, then went to my trunk to get out my lights and backdrops. 

“Let me help you with those,” a man said from behind me. I turned around to smile politely at him and thank him for the help, but when I saw him, my stomach did a somersault. How was I going to be able to take pictures of these men without spontaneously combusting? He was absolutely gorgeous. He was tall, dark hair with a slight wave to it, strong jaw that had just the right touch of scruffy facial hair, his eyes were dark but were so bright at the same time. He was dressed in blue jeans and a dark grey t-shirt, nothing special, but the t-shirt accentuated his muscular arms and chest so perfectly. I was sure there were even more lovely muscles being hidden under the shirt I’d love to get a look at. 

I quickly had to blink and turn my head away to focus on something else. “Thank you,” I said in a rushed tone. 

“Is there anything else you need brought in?” he asked. His arms were already loaded with multiple foldup lights and backdrops. I couldn’t imagine piling anything else in his arms. 

“I think that’s all of it.”

“You must be Charlotte Heywood from Bliss Photography,” he said as we walked together towards the building. “Thank you for doing this. We are all rather excited about the project. I think everyone has been practicing their poses.” He laughed as he thought on this. 

“Oh. Well good. My job should be rather easy.”

“Do you have anything in mind for the shoot?” he asked.

“Um. Well I’ve been talking to a Tom Parker about what he wants. You aren’t him, are you?”

He laughed. “Forgive me. I should have introduced myself. My name is Sidney Parker. Tom is my brother.”

“Your brother? And you’re both fireman?” I asked with a surprised tone.

He ducked his head and grinned. “Yes. Actually, our brother Arthur is too. It sort of runs in the family. He doesn’t always go out on calls, but he cooks for us while we’re here and takes care of all the paperwork, he handles all the loose ends. He makes all of our lives easier.”

“I see.”

“So, back to what you had in mind for the shoot?”

“Right,” I said shaking my head and trying to focus. “There are ten of you, so we discussed how each of you would have a featured month. Then we can do a couple group shots, perhaps a feature on the brothers of the fire station?”

“I’m sure Arthur will appreciate that.”

Even though his arms were full, he still managed to open the door for me. I walked into the fire station and a man quickly came rushing towards us.

“Wonderful! You’re here. We’ve been expecting you. I’m Tom Parker,” he greeted, shaking my hand vigorously. “I have everyone here at your service.”

“Great!” I said, with a high-pitched squeal I hadn’t intended to come out. I was beginning to think I had bitten off more than I could chew with this photoshoot.

“Where do you want her to set up?” Sidney Parker asked, still holding all of my equipment.

“Oh, of course. Let’s set up in the garage. I’m sure you’ll want to get some shots of us with the fire trucks.”

“Of course,” I agreed. Sidney walked down a long hallway motioning for me to follow him. 

“I’ll collect the guys,” Tom announced. I followed Sidney into the garage where the trucks were kept and quickly tried to unload his arms by setting things up. Sidney remained silent while he watched me work. His eyes on me made me very self-conscious. 

Tom entered the garage followed by a group of ten men who all looked like they just stepped off a modeling runway. This was going to be harder than I thought. I was surrounded by Greek Gods. I swallowed, trying to get control of my salivating. I looked at their feet as they all stood in front of me jabbing each other in the ribs and joking around about who was the hotter guy or who was going to look the most smoldering in their pictures. 

“I have a survey for each of you to fill out. I thought it would be kind of fun to have a little something written about each of you by your chosen month. It’s nothing too personal and if any of you choose not to answer a question, you definitely don’t have to. Or you could always lie and take on an alias for the calendar.” There wasn’t much to the survey. I just asked for a name, whether they were single or taken, favorite thing about being a firefighter, and to list a couple hobbies outside of firefighting. 

While they got to work answering the questions, I finished with the setup and took a few practice shots to get the lighting right. 

“Who wants to go first?” I asked. A tall, slender man with golden hair stepped forward first. He handed me his paper and I took a picture of it, so I knew who each man was while I went through editing. This particular man’s name was Edward. He appeared confident and maybe a little too sure of himself. “I was told everyone has been practicing poses. Did you have anything in mind?” Before anyone answered the question, all ten men removed their shirts revealing muscular and well-oiled chests and stomachs and bulging arms. My own stomach did a flip at the sight of all of them standing in front of me. They all went to a bank of lockers and pulled on their specialized pants with suspenders. Some put on the jacket, but left it open in the front and some of them put on their hats. A few went to the truck and pulled out axes or other equipment to be used. 

Edward held an ax rested along the back of his neck, exposing his muscular stomach and arms. He turned his head like he was looking at something in the distance while I snapped some pictures. He did a couple other poses before I told him I had enough and called the next guy up. Tom went next. He did a lot of the same poses as Edward so I tried to suggest a few other things he could do. As I went through the group one by one, it got easier and some of them had a lot of fun with the shoot. 

Arthur was my favorite to shoot. He had plenty of poses and really put on a show of smoldering expressions. He had all the guys, including me cracking up. He definitely made the awkwardness easier. 

When it was Sidney’s turn, he wanted to use the hose. He held it out in front of him and turned it on just slightly, so water was coming out but not so much that we were all getting soaked. He also draped the hose over his shoulder like he was carrying it towards a fire. He had the fiery, sexy look down. I couldn’t help being drawn to him. He was easy to take pictures of and was very photogenic. When individual photos were done, I did a couple shots of the three Parker brothers and a few of the other guys who wanted to do some shots together, then we went to a whole group shot. I positioned them around the front of the fire truck and started taking shots. Then I had them stand in a line and got down on the floor to take a really aesthetic shot of them from below. I started to really enjoy myself and had so many great shots.

“You had us fill out your survey to get to know us better,” Sidney began, while I started to line them up for another fun shot. “Why don’t you tell us a little about you so we can get to know you better?”

My breath caught in my lungs at the request. I’d never been asked such a question during a shoot before. “What is it you want to know?” I asked, unsure I wanted to answer any of the questions.

“Are you single?” he asked. The rest of the guys began laughing and making teasing noises.

“Yes,” I answered simply refusing to look at him. I didn’t think I could trust myself if I did meet his eyes. 

“What about your hobbies besides photography?” he asked. I looked through the lens of my camera and focused in on him while I had the security of the camera in front of me. He had a grin on his face as if he knew I was watching him. He even winked, causing me to nearly drop my camera. 

“Come on, Miss Heywood, tell us about your hobbies. Have some fun with us,” Arthur urged, joining Sidney in his interrogation. 

“I like to read, watch movies, bake. I named off a few simple hobbies hoping it would be enough to appease them. 

“What do you like to bake?” Arthur asked excitedly. 

“Anything,” I answered. “Brownies are always fun to make.”

“And what do you read?” Sidney asked. I glanced in his direction for just a moment before looking away again. 

“I read lots of things. I don’t really have a favorite genre,” I answered. I tried to focus back on the photos and changed the subject to them rather than me.

Once I was done with all the photos, I began to take down my lights and backdrops and fold everything up. Sidney once again came over to help me, which made me feel slightly uncomfortable. I appreciated the help, but there was something about him that made me nervous.

“Do you do other types of photoshoots or just firefighters with their shirts off?” he asked, smirking.

“I can do any type of photoshoot,” I answered. “I’ve done weddings, gradation photos, families, I’ve even done pets. 

“Do you have a business card?” he asked. “I might like to hire you for another photoshoot.”

“Of course,” I answered. I fumbled through my camera bag and found my stack of business cards held together by a rubber band. I pulled one out and handed it to him. He inspected it for a moment before nodding his head and sticking the card in his back pocket. 

Days went by after the photoshoot. I was fully invested in editing the photos and creating fun photoshopped backgrounds since I used my greenscreen. I had all kinds of fiery scenes making it look like they were walking out of fire just to make them all look hotter. 

“Damn!” my roommate, Clara said, noticing the photos on my computer screen. I had multiple shots pulled up on my desktop while I tried to edit and photoshop. “What did you get yourself into?”

“Tell me about it. I’ve already had to take multiple cold showers and I’m still struggling. It was even worse when I was actually there. These guys were so much fun to work with, but so hot. I caught myself staring through the lens of my camera multiple times.”

“Must have been torture,” she teased. “Next time invite me.”

I laughed at her comment just as my phone rang. “Hello.”

“Hi. Uh, is this Charlotte Heywood?” the man on the other end of the phone call asked.

“It is. Can I help you?”

“Yeah. Um, this is Sidney Parker. We met a few days ago at the fire station. I mentioned I might be interested in hiring you for another shoot.”

“Oh, right. What did you have in mind?” My heart raced with anticipation and excitement to see him again. I knew I shouldn’t, but he was hot, and I was drawn to him in a way I couldn’t explain. 

“I was hoping to do a shoot with myself and a girlfriend. What does your availability look like?” For a moment, my heart dropped. I didn’t remember noticing him mark that he had a girlfriend on his survey, but then again, he could have lied like I had suggested. 

“I’m fairly flexible. I can work around your availability.”

“Would you be available tonight?” he asked.

“I can probably make that work. What time and where?” I asked.

“Around eight and here at the fire station. Just text this number when you get here, and I’ll come let you in.”

“Alright,” I agreed.

“And it doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You don’t need to bring lights and backdrops. Just bring your camera.”

“Sure.”

“I’ll see you tonight, then.”

I hung up the phone, feeling stupid for even thinking he was even interested in seeing me again for anything other than a photoshoot. Then I felt even more stupid for not going over pricing or what he had in mind for the photos. I was too befuddled to even think clearly. I was curious what he wrote on his survey. I searched through the papers until I found his and read what he wrote. He had marked single, which I did remember while doing the shoot. I had decided he had lied, knowing more calendars would sell if he was this hot single guy. I just hoped he told his girlfriend what he had done. I wondered if that was the reason for the photoshoot, to reassure her. I went further down the survey and read his hobbies, which were working out, swimming, and reading. One thing we had in common. 

I hopped up from the chair, trying to clear my head of thoughts of Sidney Parker. He had a girlfriend. I didn’t need to know anything else about him. 

To clear my head and focus on something else for a while, I baked brownies. I made three pans of them, which did little to distract me from my thoughts of Sidney Parker. In the early evening, I took a shower and put on a cute dress, deciding I wanted to at least look nice for this shoot. I pinned my hair to the side and even put on a little makeup. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I realized how ridiculous I looked and took it all off. Instead, I threw on a pair of jeans and a nice top and let my hair hang loose at my shoulders. I left a touch of the makeup on but didn’t overdo it. I was working, after all.

I pulled into the fire station right at eight and grabbed my camera from the passenger seat before texting the number Sidney had called me from to let him know I was there. I locked my car and walked towards the door with a plate full of brownies as well. I figured it was the only way to get them eaten up. Sidney pushed the door open with a pleasant smile on his face when he saw me. I kept telling myself to be professional. He had a girlfriend. This was a couple’s shoot.

“I brought all of you some brownies,” I said, handing him the plate.

“You did say you like to make brownies,” he laughed. “They look delicious. Thank you.” He placed the plate on a counter and walked down the familiar hallway and out to the garage where the trucks were parked. He lingered near the door, watching me with a strange expression as I wandered the now familiar garage. I tried to think of something to talk about to ease the awkward tension in the room.

“What sort of photos did you have in mind?” I asked. “Since I didn’t bring any lights or backdrops, we will need a well-lit area.” The garage wasn’t very well-lit and I worried about the photos turning out.

“I’m not too concerned about what the photos look like,” he admitted, walking across the room towards me. “You don’t even have to take photos if you don’t want to.” He sat down on a step of one of the trucks and watched me curiously. 

“Where’s your girlfriend?” I asked, feeling slightly uneasy about being alone with him.

He laughed and ducked his head. “I was kind of hoping I was looking at her,” he said, staring at me with that sexy expression on his face.

My eyebrow furrowed at what he said, trying to make sense of it. “Why do I get the sense I’m not the first person you have said that to?”

He laughed again and stood from his spot on the step. “I know. It was a rather cheesy pickup line. I’m not sure why I said it.” He closed the distance between us. My heart was racing as he got closer. He fixated his eyes on mine. “I shouldn’t have deceived you. I just wasn’t sure if you would come if it wasn’t for a photoshoot.”

“You wanted me to come?” I breathed.

“Yeah. I, uh… I can’t seem to get you out of my mind, and I wanted to see you again.”

“Why?”

He laughed and took another step closer to me. “The obvious reasons. You’re beautiful, intriguing, exciting. Did I mention beautiful?” he leaned closer and closer towards me until his lips barely brushed against mine. 

I nervously pulled away from him and took a step away. “Did you bring me here so you could seduce me?”

He laughed and shook his head like he found what I said to be ridiculous. “Is it working?”

“Maybe a little,” I admitted. He walked back towards me and leaned in like he was going to kiss me. I was losing my grasp on reality with him. 

For a moment, he stopped trying to be all sexy and seductive and just looked at me as a normal person. “Charlotte, I like you,” he admitted. The tone of voice he used told me he was being truthful. “I’d like to get to know you more. It doesn’t have to be tonight. We can meet some other time away from the fire station if it makes you more comfortable. I’d just like to spend more time with you.”

“Someone as hot as you, doesn’t want to spend more time with someone like me,” I said.

“Someone like you?” he questioned. “Why is it so hard to believe I’m not some shallow guy who couldn’t possibly be into a girl because of who she is rather than what she looks like? Which, by the way, I believe I’ve already established that you’re beautiful even if you don’t perceive yourself as such.”

“I’ve never had anyone tell me I’m beautiful,” I admitted. “I’ve had guys say I was pretty or that they were attracted to me, but never someone who said I was beautiful.”

“Well, I think you need someone in your life who will tell you daily just how beautiful you are. You deserve to be cherished and kissed by someone who truly wants to kiss you; who has been aching to kiss you since the last time he saw you.”

Everything out of his mouth sounded too good to be true. I had a moment where I thought I was dreaming. I even tried to pinch myself in hopes I would wake up from this torturously sexy dream. “Am I being punked? Are the rest of the guys watching and waiting to jump out at me to yell we got you?”

“Charlotte, I’m being serious. You aren’t being punked. No one even knows you’re here,” he assured, trying to ease my concern. “Look, if you want to leave there’s a side door right over there.” He pointed to a door along the wall. “But I would like to see you again, if you’d be willing?”

I glanced toward the door and then back at him. “Maybe before I leave, I should have a proper tour of the fire truck?” I don’t know what possessed me to suggest such a thing. A part of me desperately wanted to believe him.

He grinned foolishly and took my hand in his. We walked around to the side of the truck. He opened the door and lifted me up into the driver seat of the large fire truck. I placed my camera on the console between the seats before gripping the large steering wheel in front of me. He pulled himself up on the step, so he was at my side. “This is quite intimidating. Do you drive the truck?” I asked.

He grinned. “No. Usually it’s Tom, sometimes James.”

“Where do you sit when you go on calls?”

He tipped his head motioning towards the seats behind us. “Back there.”

“Do you ever hop on the back and hold on?” I wondered.

He laughed. “We aren’t allowed to do that anymore.”

“Oh.” He leaned in and once again tried to kiss me. This time, I didn’t shy away. His lips pressed against mine. I relented to his kiss, allowing myself to enjoy it and believe it was real. He cupped my face with his hands, deepening the kiss further. For a moment, I tried to pull away just to catch my breath, but he wouldn’t let me. He moaned against my mouth, holding my head tighter, letting his tongue dart into my mouth for a deeper kiss. When he finally did pull away, I was breathless. He leaned his forehead against mine and lightly laughed. 

“Come on,” he said, taking my hand and guiding me down the steps and back to the ground. He linked his fingers around mine, pulling me along with him to the back of the truck. He lifted me up onto a ladder and urged me to climb up on top. “It’s pretty cool when you’re on top.” I climbed up the ladder and stepped up on top of the large truck. I got a little dizzy when I looked down and realized just how far off the ground we were. Suddenly feeling scared of falling, I sat down. Sidney came and sat down next to me. “This is a place very few ever get to experience.”

“This is super scary,” I admitted. 

He grinned and nodded his head, biting his bottom lip. “Do you want to get down?”

I hesitated to answer for a moment. If I got down, I would probably leave. I didn’t want to. “No,” I breathed.

He took my answer as a cue to kiss me again. His hands once again held my head to his for a passionate kiss. I’d never been kissed with so much intensity. He definitely knew how to make a girl feel wanted.

He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and watched me carefully. “You said you like to read,” he said. “What are you reading?”

“Just a romance novel about an innocent girl being seduced by a fireman,” I teased. He glanced at me curiously for a moment like he thought I was serious. I playfully bumped my shoulder into him, causing him to laugh. “I’m actually reading a collection of passages and quotes from great philosophers of our past. It’s interesting how generations from the past viewed the world.” He nodded his head, thinking on it. “What are you reading?” I asked. “Your survey said you enjoy reading as well.”

“I’m currently trying to read a certain girl’s expressions and body language. She’s still a bit of a mystery,” he said.

I laughed and shook my head in disbelief. “How many girls have you seduced like this?”

“None.” I scoffed at the thought. There had to have been others. He was too good with the lines to not have. “Charlotte, why is it so hard to believe I might actually want to be with you?”

“You barely know me,” I said. “And you seem to know exactly what to say to draw me in further to your entanglement. This can’t be all a coincidence.”

“But I want to know you better. I want to know everything.”

“See? You always have the right line to pull me in.”

He took my hand in his and slipped his fingers around mine. “I’m not trying to seduce you,” he said determinedly. “I’m genuinely curious about who you are. I don’t know what else to say to make you understand.”

He looked hurt by my lack of trust with him. I did want to trust him. He just seemed too good to be true. Just as he was about to stand up, I leaned over and kissed him. This time I was taking charge. Regardless if it was all a game and nothing ever amounted from it, there was no reason why I shouldn’t enjoy it while it lasted. While we continued to kiss, I very carefully laid back against the cold metal firetruck while Sidney followed and hovered over me. The fear of falling off the truck was strong, and I found myself glancing to the side to make sure I wasn’t too close to the edge.

“I’m not going to let you fall,” he whispered, looking at me with sincerity. I trusted him. How could I not?

He looked excited when I gave into him. He began kissing me more fervently and kissed my neck and collarbone, while slowly unbuttoning my shirt. His hand pushed the thin cloth to the side and cupped one my breasts, squeezing it and rubbing a thumb across my covered nipple. I moaned at the feeling it caused inside of me. “I don’t normally do this on a first date,” I whispered. “If this is even a first date.”

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, making no indication he planned to stop as he continued kissing my skin and squeezing my breast.

“No.” 

He smiled against my skin. “Good.” 

I sat up slightly so I could remove my shirt the rest of the way. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close to him before working on the strap to my bra. He struggled to get it undone, causing me to laugh. I thought he was going to try ripping it off of me at one point. I reached behind and undid the clasp myself while he removed his shirt and unbuttoned his pants. He let out a long breath as he took in my naked body in front of him. I placed my hands against his hard chest and let my fingers explore the muscles and groves that defined them. He flinched at my touch as if what I was doing tickled. I did it more, just to see him smile. He lowered his body closer to me and kissed me again before making his way to my breast with his mouth. He sucked my nipple between his lips and swirled his tongue around it, causing me to moan just a little too loudly. 

“You have to be quiet,” he chuckled. “Someone could walk in at any moment.”

“Should we even be doing this then?” I asked.

“Whether we should or not, I don’t have any plans to stop.”

I arched my hips into him, allowing myself to feel the bulge in his pants. He grimaced at the sensation. He sat up and finished pulling his pants down, freeing himself from the confines of his clothing. I glanced down and was extremely aroused by what I saw, but also slightly terrified. I didn’t have a lot of experience with sex, but he seemed rather large compared to others. My breath quickened with excitement and I swallowed nervously against the dry mouth. He unbuttoned my pants and with a wild grin removed them from each leg rather slowly. The cold metal of the truck caused me to shiver. He positioned himself between my legs and pressed his warm body against mine. I welcomed his heat. He began kissing me again and with a couple thrusts, was fully inside of me. I moaned loudly against his mouth causing him to laugh against my lips. 

“Sorry. I know I have to be quiet,” I said. He dragged his thumb against my lips and looked at me enthusiastically. He rolled his hips against mine as he watched my expression. My breath was shallow as I tried really hard to be quiet. The rocking back and forth against me intensified and even he was losing the battle to stay quiet. Both of us moaned louder than we intended. His lips found mine again in a useless way to stay quiet. We had lost the battle to stay quiet as we both came undone and lost all sense of where we were. I didn’t even care who heard us. A powerful force came over me when the orgasm hit. 

Sidney sighed happily as he kissed me again. He still pressed his hips against mine, desperate for more. I would not have complained if he wanted to go again.

As we continued to kiss and remained connected, there was a loud buzzing noise. He stopped kissing me and looked up at the alarm going off above our heads. “Shit!” he breathed, pulling off of me as quickly as possible.

“What’s going on?” I asked. 

“Get dressed, quickly,” he shouted. As I was trying to throw clothes on, a bunch of the men I had come to know came barging through the doors and rushed to the bay of lockers. They quickly threw on gear and started to collect everything for a call. “Come on.” Sidney grabbed my hand, practically pulling me down the ladder half dressed. “Stay here.” He placed me at the back of the truck where no one would see me, and he too ran over and started throwing on his gear.

“Sidney let’s go!” someone shouted. 

Half-dressed with gear, he came around to the back and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. I could tell he wanted more time. “Call me. Or I’ll call you,” he said before bolting back to the front and hopping inside the truck. 

“See you later, Miss Heywood,” Tom, who was sat in the driver’s seat looking at me in the side mirror, called out with a wave and a smirk on his face as they pulled out of the garage. 

I let out the breath I was holding and glanced over towards the door. Arthur stood in the doorway with the plate of brownies I had brought, munching on one happily. “You and my brother, huh?” he laughed.

“Is this a regular occurrence with him?” I asked, realizing both Tom and Arthur didn’t seem surprised by my presence. 

“No,” he answered. “There have been others who have been caught with girlfriends or even wives in here. Even Tom has brought his wife in here before. But this is a first for Sidney. He usually doesn’t mix pleasure with work. He takes his job far too seriously.”

“I see.”

“Thanks for the brownies,” he said with a smile, taking another one off the plate. He walked back into the building, leaving me alone in the darkened garage. 

I was about to leave when I realized I left my camera in the front of the fire truck. That camera was my life. If anything happened to it, I would be devastated. I rushed through the door and chased after Arthur. 

“Do you know where they were headed?” I shouted after him.

He stopped and turned around, nodding his head. “Of course. Why?”

“I left my camera in the truck. I need to get it back.”

Arthur gave me the address they were headed, and I jumped in my car to follow them. By the time I got there, they were in the midst of putting a house fire out. I was able to sneak around some caution tape and crawled up into the truck. The camera was not where I had placed it earlier. I desperately searched the truck, looking everywhere. I finally found it sitting in a back seat where Sidney had probably been sitting. A sigh of relief came over me and I picked it up and crawled out of the truck. 

With camera in hand, I began taking shots of the men putting the fire out. I could make Sidney’s form out amongst the men rather easily. Sidney held the hose with such ease and precision as he put the fire out. The men shouted out commands to each other while they worked. I was getting some great action shots. I even got a shot of one of the men carrying someone out of the house.

It seemed like hours went by as they worked, even though it was probably only a few minutes. Eventually the fire was cleared and everyone inside was safe. Paramedics treated the family who lived there while police and forensic scientists stepped in to find a cause for the fire and write up their report. I took another great shot of the men walking towards the truck where I stood after a job well done. 

“Excuse me, miss. You’re not supposed to be here,” A policeman said, motioning for me to leave. I glanced towards Sidney, who was taking off his mask and noticing me for the first time. 

“It’s alright. She’s with us,” he called out. The police officer glanced between Sidney and I for a moment, before relenting and allowing me to stay.

Sidney stopped a few steps in front of me. He was covered in ash and was sweating from the thick coverings he had on, as well as the heat coming from the fire. “I forgot my camera,” I said, holding the camera up for him to see.

“I was sort of hoping to use that as a way to see you again,” he laughed. 

“You don’t have to use a trick to see me. All you have to do is ask.”

He grinned excitedly and closed the distance between us. His mouth found mine for a passionate kiss full of want and need. His rough and dirty hand rested against my cheek. He smelled like smoke and the heat from the fire had made his lips chapped. But I didn’t care. I leaned into him and deepened the kiss. The other guys started whistling and hollering at us, causing us both to smile and look towards them. 

Sidney threw his helmet at them and told them to shut up while he turned back to me and kissed me again. I had no idea where this was going between us, but I was willing to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all twisted my arm. I'm going to add a little more to this story. It won't be long, but it'll be a sweet little story with a little angst for good measure.

A few days had gone by since I spent an evening with Sidney at the fire station. We hadn’t seen each other since that night, finding it hard to match up our schedules. As much as I wanted my photography business to be my main source of income, it wasn’t quite as successful as I’d hoped it would. I still worked at a small bookstore four days a week and whatever free time I had not working was either booked with a client or editing photos. Sidney had asked if I would be willing to come see him at the station again, but after what happened last time with the alarm going off while I was still naked on top of a firetruck, I didn’t know if I could handle another incident like that. 

Thankfully, we had finally figured out how to make some time work so we could see each other again. I was overly excited to see him, which sort of surprised me. I hadn’t been in a serious relationship in quite some time, being far too career driven to put any thought in a guy. Clara was just as confused by my behavior. But I had a feeling once she met Sidney, she would understand. I was hopeful we would have the opportunity to discuss where we were taking this relationship, if there was one.

There was a knock at the door, and I asked Clara if she would let him in. I was so nervous to see him, that butterflies filled my stomach. Seeing him face to face just seemed more personal and I was curious how our night might end. I wouldn’t be disappointed if it ended similar to how it ended the first time. But would he see me as too easy if I let every encounter we had, end in sex?

I was just putting my shoes on when I heard Clara grilling him for more information about what his intentions were with me. She was quite embarrassing and acted more like a parent than a friend. 

I stepped out into the living room and gave Clara a pointed look to leave. “I’m ready,” I said. He stood up and turned around, smiling when he saw me. I wore a simple white blouse and a pair of jeans, since he told me to dress casually. He too was dressed in a pair of jeans and a nice grey button up shirt. 

“You look nice,” he said with a grin. 

“Thank you. So do you,” I said in return. 

“Should we go?” he asked, motioning towards the door. 

“Yes.”

“You might want to bring your camera,” he said. I was curious as to why, but I went and grabbed the bag and threw it over my shoulder. I followed him out and to his car where he helped me in. 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going and why I need my camera?” I asked.

He smirked. “It’s a surprise.” 

We drove until we came to a park. I looked around and saw kids playing on a distant playground while some other people were feeding ducks or playing catch with their dogs. Sidney lead me along a path down to the water where I saw plenty of people fishing. The sun was shining brightly on the water causing it to glisten. I stopped and took a few pictures. Sidney patiently waited for me to finish taking photos. 

“Sorry,” I said, hoping he wasn’t upset I had stopped.

“It’s alright. I did tell you to bring your camera,” he reminded. “But I know of a better place for you to take pictures.”

He reached for my hand and I gladly took it, linking our fingers together. I smiled at the small connection we had made. We walked a little further along the shoreline of the river until we came upon a booth with lots of different boats and canoes. Sidney released my hand and paid the man at the booth then started picking out a lifejacket. He wrapped the lifejacket around me and started snapping the buckles. I grinned at how attentive he was being. “I do know how to swim,” I said.

“It’s sort of my job to keep people safe, especially those I care about,” he said with a chuckle. “Besides, they won’t let you take a boat out without a lifejacket. Liability reasons.” He searched the row of lifejackets and found one for himself to put on. We followed the man to the dock and were helped into a paddle boat and briefly shown how to navigate the river. 

The water was calm as we set off in the paddle boat. Sidney steered us while we both contributed to the paddling. Once we got away from the main park area, I understood what he meant about a better place to take pictures. The orange and yellow trees surrounding us were beautiful, especially with the bright sun shining down on them and reflecting off the water. I looked around in amazement. I quickly got my camera out of the bag and started taking pictures of everything, abandoning paddling all together. 

“I told you I knew of a place for better pictures,” he said.

“This is incredible,” I gushed. 

Two ducks landed on the water not far from us, so I took pictures of them and then saw a heron standing in the shallower water, searching for food. I switched my lenses to zoom in for a better picture of the heron. 

I could see in the corner of my eye Sidney watching me intently take photos. I changed out my lenses again and acted nonchalantly about the whole thing before turning towards him and snapping a picture of him instead of the surrounding area. We both laughed at how he had been caught. He looked away bashfully trying to hide his embarrassment. 

“You caught me,” he admitted. “I just think you’re fascinating when you’re enthralled in your photography. It’s one of the things that attracted me to you when you came to take photos at the fire station. You’re very passionate about your work.”

“I’ve always loved taking pictures.” I laughed thinking about something I was questioning sharing with him. “I know this might sound really strange, but one of my most favorite things to do is go to antique stores and search through old photos. I love old black and white photos.”

“You buy old photos of people you don’t even know?” he asked with a questioning expression.

I nodded my head with a timid smile. “Is that weird?”

His eyebrows furrowed while he stared at me. “Maybe just a bit,” he laughed. “But I guess we all have our collections.”

“What do you collect?” I asked playfully. He laughed and ducked his head, shaking it. “Come on. I told you my strange collection. You have to do the same.”

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily strange, but it might be sort of overwhelming, I guess.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

He laughed again, trying to hide his embarrassment. “I collect firetrucks.”

“I see.”

“It probably doesn’t sound that odd, given I am a fireman. But I’ve been collecting them since I was a kid. I’d always had a fascination with firetrucks and fireman. I’ve always wanted to be one. So, over the years I’ve collected quite a few firetruck toys and figurines. They are all over my home. It’s really my only decorative item. Some might see it as obsessive, possibly on the verge of a hoarder,” he laughed.

I nodded my head cautiously, trying to visualize what his home must look like. I pictured lots of bright red and probably some yellow and black trim with firetrucks sitting on every surface. “I guess we both have strange collections connected to what we’re both passionate about.”

“I guess so,” he agreed. We stared into each other’s eyes, both feeling the moment intensely. We had both shared something personal and intimidating, but we accepted the other person wholeheartedly. He leaned towards me and pressed his lips to mine. He started out gently, then deepened the kiss, tangling his fingers in my hair as he held my head and guided me. When he pulled away, we stared into each other’s eyes a moment longer, before we both laughed nervously. I had no idea why I was so nervous around him. I had already had sex with him. Shouldn’t the nerves be diminished by now? 

We finished the boat ride around the river quietly, only stopping for the occasional photo opportunity. 

“Now I see why you asked me to bring my camera. This was a really fun experience,” I said. 

“It’s not over yet,” he said with a grin. He took my hand and we walked slowly around the park.

“What else did you have in mind?” I wondered.

“You’ll see,” he laughed. “You aren’t afraid of heights, are you?”

I scoffed. “I did climb on top of a firetruck, remember?”

He laughed. “Right. I forgot about that. I’m still kind of shocked by what we did. Don’t get me wrong, I fully enjoyed it. But I want you to know that wasn’t my intentions for inviting you.”

“What were your intentions?” I asked.

He grinned. “I thought I already established that? I just wanted to get to know you better without everyone else around. Serious question, though. Do you always have sex with guys on a first date?” 

I laughed and shook my head. “Definitely not. I don’t know what got into me. I think just being around all of you and then editing the pictures for days had me all worked up, and I needed a release. Then you came along and were practically throwing yourself at me and saying all the right things...” I let my sentence end without an explanation, hoping he’d understand.

“So, you were turned on by all the other guys and used me for a release?” he asked, seriously.

“No. That’s not… I just meant…” I nervously stumbled over my words and tried to backtrack, thinking I had just upset him.

He laughed and squeezed my hand. “It’s fine. I’m not concerned,” he assured, causing me to visibly sigh in relief. 

“I’m still sort of confused why you invited me there. I’m not the girl who gets asked out that often.”

He squeezed my hand and breathed in deeply. “I should probably tell you something before it gets out of hand and you hear something from someone.”

“Okay,” I said nervously.

He sighed again before continuing. “I was sort of dared to ask you to come to the fire station that night by the guys I work with.”

“What?” I said stopping and trying to pull my hand away from his. 

“Just hear me out,” he said desperately, while gripping my hand tighter and stopping in front of me. 

“There’s only four guys in that entire unit who are single. Me being one of them. About a year ago, I broke up with a longtime girlfriend who I thought I was going to marry. I was even shopping around for a ring. Then I found out she was cheating on me. We broke up and since then I haven’t dated anyone. Then you came along and I was instantly attracted. The guys I work with are all like my brothers. We sense things about each other and can practically read each other’s thoughts at times. They all knew I was attracted to you, but I’ve been burned before. I didn’t want to put myself in that situation again. I tried to ignore my feelings and pretend like it wasn’t bothering me. One night, Crowe caught me looking at your website on my phone. He also overheard me ask for your business card, which was kind of my sneaky way of asking you for your phone number. Anyway, the next thing I know, everyone is ganging up on me telling me to call you and invite you over.” He rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath. “You should have heard the roar of laughter from all of them after I hung up the phone.” I looked down, feeling humiliated that they were laughing at me. “They weren’t laughing at you,” he assured, realizing that’s how I saw it. “They were laughing at me and my poor attempt to get you to come.”

“So, they all knew I was there? Were they listening in? Is that why you kept telling me to be quiet?”

“They knew you were there, obviously. But they promised to stay away so we could have time to talk. They weren’t listening in. Please believe me, they didn’t mean any harm. They just knew I needed a little push to do what I wanted to do but was too afraid to do.”

I laughed, thinking about it. “You can run into burning buildings and risk your life every day, but asking a girl out is what scares you?” I teased.

He laughed bashfully and nodded his head. “I do sound like an idiot, don’t I?” He sighed. “I felt like an idiot that night. I was trying to lay on the charm, but I think it backfired and made you think I was playing. It’s why I offered to let you go, but then you asked for a tour of the fire truck, which of course made me excited because…”

“You love firetrucks,” I interrupted.

He smiled and nodded his head. “Yeah.” He hesitated for a moment, as if he was gauging my reaction. “I honestly never intended for things to go as far as they did. I was hopeful for maybe a stolen kiss, but it’s been so long since I’ve dated someone. The relationship I was in was years and I think we just got comfortable being boring. At least that’s what she said when we broke up. I was boring and didn’t excite her anymore. To be honest, I get enough excitement at the fire station. When I wasn’t working, I wanted to relax and be comfortable. I didn’t want to go out and do extravagant things and go to parties. But I guess it’s what she needed.”

“She’s seems a little immature and self-important to me,” I observed causing him to smile crookedly. “She did something wrong but then had the audacity to turn it around as if it was your fault? Sounds like you dodged a bullet.”

He laughed boisterously, causing his eyes to mist over from laughing so hard. “I think I needed to hear that. For a long time, I’ve blamed myself. Maybe it wasn’t entirely my fault.”

“I don’t know this girl, but I think she was an idiot for letting you go,” I said.

A happy expression played across his face before he leaned down and kissed me. “Thank you,” he whispered, resting his forehead against mine. I leaned up and kissed him again. I wasn’t so thrilled with how it happened, but I was thankful he at least explained it. “Are you ready for the second part of our date?”

“Where are we going?” I asked. 

He smiled, taking my hand in his and leading me to his car. “It’s a surprise. But you’ll need your camera this time as well.”

After a short drive we ended up at the airport. I looked around curiously, trying to figure out what we were doing. I stepped out of the car and Sidney had a huge grin on his face when he took my hand and led me through a side opening, which led right out into the field by the airport. “What are we doing?” I asked.

We walked across the field towards a helicopter. My stomach was already in knots. Were we seriously about to go up in a helicopter? Sidney walked up to a man and shook his hand before being shown the way to a door. “You’ll get some pretty amazing pictures from up in the sky,” he said.

“Are you serious? This is too much,” I said excitedly.

He shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal. “I have connections. It’ll be fun.” 

I climbed into the small helicopter followed by Sidney who sat down next to me. We were handed headphones and told to put on seatbelts. Within minutes, we were lifting off the ground and going up into the sky. 

Everything was so amazing as we looked down on the city. The sun had just settled, causing the sky to have a slight glow, but more importantly, everything below us was lit up. I was in awe of how amazing everything looked. I couldn’t keep the happy grin off my face. Sidney reached over and patted my camera in my hands. I was so mesmerized by everything around me, I forgot about taking pictures. I was shaking from the adrenaline rushing through me, but I raised my camera and was able to take a few good shots. Once again, I sensed Sidney watching me while I took pictures. This time I didn’t even care. I was too focused on everything I was seeing.

We stayed up in the air for quite a while before we descended back to the ground. Once safely back on the ground, I wrapped my arms around Sidney’s neck. “Thank you for doing this. You didn’t have to, but I had so much fun. This is definitely going to be a highlight of my life.”

He hugged me back and chuckled at my enthusiasm. “I’m glad to hear it. I was excited to bring you up here.”

We carefully climbed out of the helicopter and thanked our pilot before making our way back to the car. Sidney asked if I wanted to get something to eat and of course I said yes. I didn’t want the night to end. We decided to stop at a pizza place and grab a couple slices before heading back to my apartment. I had a feeling Clara would be gone, but if she wasn’t, she would make herself scarce. 

When we got back, we sat down on the couch and ate the pizza while talking and just having a good time getting to know each other better. I was really starting to have feelings for him, and I was hopeful he was feeling the same way.

Once we were finished eating, I went to take the garbage and drinks we had to the kitchen. When I came back into the living room, Sidney was standing over my computer looking at the photos I had already printed out from the shoot I did with the fireman.

“These are really good,” he said, looking over them. I walked over and stood next to him admiring my work. 

“They aren’t done just yet. I still have a few more I need to edit.”

He picked up the photo of him that I had already edited and added the information from his survey. 

“You still wrote that I’m single?” he asked quietly. 

I was nervous to answer. Was he single or were we a thing? “Do you want me to change it?” I asked, looking up into his eyes, hopeful. 

He smirked and looked back and forth between my eyes and my lips. I let my lips part, hinting that I wouldn’t be opposed if he wanted to kiss me. “I guess it depends on you,” he answered.

We leaned towards each other and pressed our lips together. He dropped the photos on the table and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me flush against his body. This kiss was more passionate than any other kiss of the day. This kiss was full of want. I wanted nothing more than for him to carry me to my room and stay the night with me. I knew he wanted it too. He started tugging at my shirt, pulling it free from my jeans. 

Unfortunately, right when we were getting heated, Clara walked through the front door. Sidney stopped abruptly and stepped away from me. Both of us were breathing heavily and trying to catch our breath.

“Don’t mind me,” Clara said with a smirk, tiptoeing past us and towards her room.

“I should get going,” Sidney announced, causing me to feel defeated.

“You don’t have to,” I said, practically begging him to stay.

He smiled shyly and took my hand in his. “I have to be at work in the morning. But I’ll call you.”

“Alright,” I said disappointed. He leaned in and gave me a chaste kiss before heading towards the door.

“Sidney!” I called just as he was about to shut the door behind him. I bit my lip nervously. “I’ll change it.”

He grinned excitedly and nodded his head. “Good.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been up since 2am trying to finish this chapter. I'm sorry if there are some huge, glaring mistakes. I'm going to take a nap and then go back through it again with a sharper eye. But I wanted to get it up now since I had sort of promised it yesterday.
> 
> This chapter is really just a date and sex. I had originally planned to add a bunch more, but it's already over 5,000 words. I'll add all that other stuff I wanted to add in the next chapter.

The next day, Sidney was on duty for a full twenty-four hours. Thankfully, when he wasn’t on a call, he was able to talk to me. We talked on the phone for most of the day while I edited photos. He told me more about his family and why he and his brothers all work for the fire station. Turns out there was a long history of Parker men who have been firefighters. His father was a retired firefighter as was his grandfather and two uncles. His sister, whom I didn’t even know about until he brought her up, was also a firefighter in a different city. When she married a fellow firefighter, they moved to his hometown and just had their first child. Tom was also married and had four children with his wife. Arthur was the loveable uncle that had no intentions of ever marrying. His family seemed very close and welcoming. He asked if I’d be interested in meeting all of them sometime. The thought thrilled me, knowing he wanted me to meet the rest of his family, but another part of me was terrified. We were moving rather quickly, and I kept waiting for it all to fall apart. I agreed to meet his family at some point, but not yet.

For now, we agreed to go on another date. He said there was a place he wanted to take me for dinner, but it was a classy place and they had a dress code. He said I just needed to wear a dress but didn’t give me much more than that.

Every time the alarm would go off at the station, he would quickly tell me he had to go and hang up, regardless of what we were talking about. A couple times it got annoying, but I tried to be understanding. As soon as he would get back from a call, he would call me right back. I looked forward to him calling me back. Something about being in an official relationship with him, made me worry more for his safety. I looked forward to his calls just to ease my mind that he was alright.

I fell asleep that night with Sidney still on the phone. I didn’t realize it until the next morning when I saw a text from him telling me he went ahead and hung up so I could get some sleep. I felt so embarrassed and hoped he didn’t think I was bored with our conversation.

I had to work at the bookstore that morning, but Clara was supposed to meet me when I got off work to help me find a dress. Once I looked in my closet, I realized I didn’t have a dress suitable to wear to a classy restaurant in the city. I had to depend on Clara’s expertise to help me find something to wear.

The bookstore was extra busy, which was expected considering the seasons were changing and more books were bought as we got closer to Christmas. The busyness made the day go faster, thankfully.

When I got off work, I met Clara out front and we headed to a dress shop. When we walked in, I felt entirely out of my element. I didn’t know a thing about buying a fancy dress. The last dress I even wore was for a friend’s wedding and I didn’t have to pick it out.

“Where do we even begin?” I asked, looking around nervously.

“Relax, Charlotte. I’ll find you something,” Clara assured. She led me over to a rack of dresses and started flipping through them. “If you see anything you like, pull it and we will try them on.” I followed her instructions and started looking through the racks, only pulling two dresses while she had at least a dozen. A sales associate came over to help us bring the dresses to a dressing room and get me started. I closed the door and grabbed the first dress to put on. It was a black dress with gold trim and a plunging neckline. On the hanger it was rather pretty. Once it was on, I looked in the mirror and knew instantly it wasn’t right. My boobs looked like they were going to fall out, the hem was too long, and it was so tight around my hips, I could barely walk. I could hear Clara yelling for me to show her even if I didn’t like it. I walked out with a frown on my face. She quickly shook her head and twirled her fingers indicating I needed to turn around and go back in the dressing room to take it off.

The next dress wasn’t much better, nor were any of the other ones I tried on. I was getting exhausted from trying to find the right dress and was almost tempted to call Sidney and ask if we could go somewhere else. Every dress had something I didn’t like; too many sequins, too much ruffles or tulle, tea length dresses made me look short, long dresses were too long. It was impossible to find the right dress.

“Did you try on the blue one I brought you?” Clara asked after I had practically tried on every dress she brought me.

“I don’t know. Did I? I’ve tried on so many. I feel like they all look like prom dresses rather than a nice dinner date.”

Clara walked into the dressing room and searched through the heap of dresses on the floor until she found the one she was referring to. She thrust it into my arms and told me to try it on. I rolled my eyes and huffed at yet another dress but went and put it on. I looked in the mirror and scrutinized myself. It didn’t look that bad. I liked the dark blue color and the lace pattern made it look more feminine. The v-neckline was a little revealing, but not quite enough to make me worried my boobs were going to fall out. It was a bit long, but if I wore heels it wouldn’t show. I walked out of the dressing room with confidence, knowing this was definitely a contender, if not the dress.

“I really like this one,” I said with a smile. “What do you think?”

“It’s fabulous! We just need to get you some heels,” she said before running off to find shoes. She came back with a pair or black heels with straps across the front. They were super uncomfortable, but they definitely worked great for the look. I took everything off and went to pay.

Once back home, Clara helped do my hair and makeup. I kept sighing exasperatedly. I was nervous for this date. Not only because we had officially made this real, but also because where he wanted to take me was sure to be out of my comfort zone. I already felt inadequate when I was with him, now to be in a place I wasn’t familiar with amongst people I didn’t fit in with, it was scary.

“You really like this guy, don’t you?” Clara asked, clearly noticing my mood changes.

I glanced up at her in the mirror and nodded my head. “I do. He’s probably the nicest and sweetest man I’ve ever met. Did I tell you he took me on a helicopter ride?”

“What?” she gasped. “For a first date he took you in a helicopter? He is definitely trying to make a good impression. Now he’s taking you to some fancy restaurant with a dress code? Hold on to this one. He’s a rare find.”

Clara was far more experienced with the opposite sex than I was. She hooked up with guys quite often. We were total opposites in that aspect, but she was still my best friend.

“I really hope I’m not overdoing this,” I worried. “What if it’s not as fancy as he made it out to be?”

“If he said the place has a dress code, you are not overdoing it. Trust me.”

We were silent for a moment while she continued to curl my hair. My hair already had a natural curl to it, but she said she needed to curl it to give the curls more definition. She studied me in the mirror, watching my every expression and every sigh.

“Are you going to have sex with him?” she asked bluntly. “I know it’s only a second date, but if a guy is putting this much effort into dates, he’s looking for some payback. I saw the way you two were when I walked in after your first date. There’s no denying he wants something in return.”

I hesitated for a moment, wondering what she’d think of me. “Would it surprise you if I told you I already have?”

“What!” she squealed. “When? How? Tell me everything.” She abandoned my hair and sat down next to me, staring at me expectantly.

“I guess you could say this is sort of our third date. The first was when he invited me to come take pictures of him and his fictitious girlfriend at the fire station. When I got there, he told me he didn’t have a girlfriend and it was a trick to get me to come. I didn’t believe him at first, but as the night went on, one thing led to another and… well, we ended up on top of the fire truck.”

“On top of the fire truck!” she repeated with a shocked tone. “Charlotte, you probably fulfilled one of his biggest fantasies. No wonder he’s pulling out all the stops on these dates. He’s looking for another roll on the firetruck.”

“Should I, though?” I asked, confused by what was right. “What happened that first time was kind of unexpected to both of us. Then the other day when we were here, things started leading that direction again and I totally would have. Then he pulled away and left. But before he left, I sort of told him I’d change his status on the calendar from single to taken and he was happy about it.”

“So, you two are like, an official couple now? You’re not just casually seeing each other. You’re in a full-blown, exclusive relationship with him,” she observed. “Then my answer is yes. You should definitely be sleeping with him.”

I sighed again, letting my cheeks puff up with air. It’s not that I didn’t want to. I actually very much wanted to. I just worried if I was going to mess it up somehow.

Clara finished my hair and makeup and helped me zip up the dress in the back. Then she handed me a small purse and another slightly larger shoulder bag. I looked at both of them with a confused expression. “This small one you carry with you to dinner. It has lipstick, mints, your credit card, pepper spray, and a place for your phone. The larger one, I’ve put a change of clothes in for you, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, and a condom, just in case.” I rolled my eyes at the condom.

“I’m on the pill. What do I need a condom for?”

“It’s not only to prevent pregnancy. There’s still the possibility of STD’s. Just be careful.”

When the doorbell rang, my heart jumped. Clara quickly helped me put my shoes on before I went over to open the door. I had never seen a more handsome man in all my life. The air caught in my lungs at the sight of him. He wore a proper suit and tie, had styled his hair nicely, shaved, put on cologne, and even had a dozen red roses in hand.

“Hi,” I breathed.

He smirked and drew his eyes across my form. I hoped he was admiring what he saw. “Hello,” he said with a smile. “You look beautiful. I mean, you’re always beautiful, but this is… wow!”

I looked down and slightly giggled. “You did tell me to wear a dress.”

“I did. I just wasn’t prepared for you to take my breath away.”

I heard Clara sigh loudly behind me. I turned around and grinned at her. She nodded her head as if telling me she was right in all she had been saying.

Sidney handed me the flowers and I thanked him for the wonderful surprise. Clara came over and took them from me so she could put them in water. I thanked her for everything and walked out the door with Sidney.

We drove into the city and pulled up in front of a tall building that was practically glowing in the night sky. It had an old-world charm about it that I truly admired. Sidney hopped out of the car and handed his keys off to a man before coming over and opening my door for me. He offered me his arm with a pleasant smile and walked me into the restaurant.

“I really like this dress,” he said. “It’s a great color on you and makes your natural beauty shine even more.”

I looked up at him and grinned. He always had a way of making me feel like I was the only girl his eyes could focus on. “Thank you. I have Clara to thank for helping me look this good.”

He brought our clasped hands to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “I think Clara had a fairly easy task. It doesn’t take much to bring out your beauty.”

I scoffed at his words, but knew I better not argue with him about it.

“Reservation for Sidney Parker,” he said to the host. She scanned her list and found his name then led us to a table. The place was exquisite. Nearly every table was filled with people in suits and gowns as if they were at the Oscars. All the waiters were in proper tuxes. It was all so surreal.

“You weren’t kidding when you said this was a classy place,” I said.

He laughed, opening his menu. “I wanted to take you somewhere special.”

I thought on that for a moment, remembering where he took me last time and also what Clara had said. I tried to calm my nerves and look over the menu. A waiter came over and Sidney ordered a bottle of wine. I wasn’t a big drinker, but maybe a little alcohol would help me relax.

“Everything on this menu is expensive. Are you sure this is okay?”

“Of course, it is. Why would I bring you here if it wasn’t?”

“I just can’t fathom paying this much money for one meal. This is what I spend on food for the entire month.”

“It’s fine. Really,” he chuckled as if it was a silly thing to question. I still didn’t feel comfortable buying an expensive meal and tried to find the cheapest thing on the menu.

When the waiter returned with the wine, he poured us both a glass and asked if we were ready to order. I ordered a chicken dish with a mushroom sauce while Sidney ordered the most expensive cut of meat on the menu. I was beginning to wonder if he had a hidden stash of money beyond what being a firefighter brought in. A helicopter ride and now this expensive dinner? There had to be more to his income. But maybe not the right question to ask just yet.

“So,” he began. “How did you sleep last night?” He had a knowing grin on his face. My stomach twisted in knots remembering that I had fallen asleep on the phone.

“I’m so sorry for falling asleep on you last night. I was trying so hard to stay awake and talk to you. I hope you didn’t find me rude.”

He laughed and shook his head. “Not at all. I actually found it rather appealing. I didn’t realize you were sleeping at first, but when I heard the rhythmic sound of your breathing, I figured it out.”

I covered my face with my hand, too embarrassed to look at him. “I hope I didn’t start to snore.”

He laughed heartily. “I’ll never tell,” he teased, taking a sip of his wine.

I scoffed and gave him a playful glare. “That’s not fair. What if the tables were turned? Wouldn’t you want me to tell you?”

He smiled and tilted his head to the side. “I only stayed on the line for a few minutes once I realized you were asleep.” He rose his glass of wine to his lips again but spoke before he took another sip. “I can’t guarantee there was no talking in your sleep, though. I’m fairly certain I heard you whisper my name.”

“You’re lying. I don’t talk in my sleep,” I argued.

“How would you know?” he asked with a smirk on his face.

“Well I don’t for sure.” I tried to read his expression to see if he was telling me the truth or not. Something told me he was being honest. Talking in my sleep was far more embarrassing than snoring. “I’m never going to fall asleep in your presence again,” I whined, burying my face in my hands.

“I don’t think I like that idea,” he said. “I’ll gladly stay up all night listening to you whisper my name in your sleep.”

I took a deep breath in and let it out in a huff. “Only if I get to do the same to you,” I said decidedly, grinning at him across the table.

“Deal,” he agreed eagerly. Clara was right. He was looking for more of a payback.

Our eyes connected in a trance as we both mulled over the thought of sharing a night together. Neither of us had actually said we would that night, but I had every intention of doing so if he asked me to. The only thing breaking us from our trance was our food being delivered to the table. We thanked the waiter and picked up our forks and knives to start eating. The food was delicious. I still didn’t think it was worth what it cost, though.

“Have you come here before?” I asked in between bites.

“Once or twice,” he said. “What do you think of it?”

“It’s nice,” I answered simply.

“But?” he prodded.

I smiled shyly. “Maybe a little out of my comfort zone,” I admitted. “I’m not one to dress up and put this much effort into the way I look just to go to dinner.”

He looked disappointed. “I’m sorry. I guess I should have asked you where you wanted to go instead of just assuming this would be a place you would like.”

“Sidney, it’s not that I don’t like it. I do. And I appreciate all the effort you put in to plan these extravagant dates. But I’m perfectly fine just hanging out at home, watching Netflix, and ordering a pizza. You don’t have to try to impress me.”

“I guess I’m just trying to make sure I don’t come off as boring,” he admitted, looking ashamed. The realization of what he meant hit me. His last relationship ended because she cheated on him and blamed him for being boring. He’s anticipating I’ll feel the same way, so he’s going overboard to make sure I don’t.

I reached across the table and placed my hand on top of his. “You are far from boring. And quite frankly, sometimes it’s nice to be boring together.”

He grinned happily and squeezed my hand. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

We continued eating, enjoying the meal and the evening. When we were done eating and finishing off the last of the wine, I broke the silence, hoping it would lead into an invite to his place. “I’ve been thinking about your collection of firetrucks. I’m curious just how extreme it might be. I’m trying to picture your home and wondering what it must look like.”

He laughed, taking another drink of his wine. “And what do you think it looks like?”

“Well,” I began slowly. “You indicated some might see it as hoarding or obsessive. If that’s the case, I picture firetrucks on every surface, maybe a firetruck mural on the wall, bright red walls with black trim, I even wonder if there might be firetruck bedsheets on your bed.”

He laughed hysterically at my last comment. “It’s not quite that extreme.”

“Describe it for me then,” I asked.

He hesitated for a moment, watching my facial expressions. I was sure he was trying to read if I would go with him to his place. I tried my best to look as seductive and inviting as possible. He licked his lips while his eyes fixated on mine. “How about I show you instead?” he suggested.

I smiled, biting at my lip that my plan had worked. “Alright,” I agreed, trying not to sound too excited.

He quickly paid the bill and took my hand in his as he led me outside to wait for his car to be brought around. He drove a little quicker through the streets than he probably should have, which excited me. He was just as eager to show me his place as I was to see it. Or he may have been eager for something else, but so was I if I was being honest.

He drove down a road filled with nice houses and pulled in front of one, turning his car off. “Are you ready?” he asked, giving me one last chance to change my mind. I found it sweet that he was giving me an out if I truly didn’t want to stay at his house. But I was all in. I nodded my head and gathered up the purse Clara had disguised for me. I followed him up the steps, holding his hand tightly and hoping I wouldn’t trip in the heels I was wearing. He opened the door with a key and stood aside to let me go in first. Once inside, I looked around the dark room, trying to make out what everything was. Thankfully Sidney turned on a light once he stepped in behind me and shut the door. I slowly walked around, noticing all the firetrucks he had collected over the years. It wasn’t anything like I imagined. The rooms were simple. The walls were plain white, his furniture was black plush couches with a mahogany coffee table and stands at each end of the couch. A shelf full of books and the occasional firetruck figurine took up one whole wall. A large TV was mounted to the wall in front of the couch. There were firetruck toys and figurines all over, but it wasn’t as overwhelming as he made it out to be. Although, I hadn’t seen his bedroom yet. Maybe most of them were in there.

I turned towards him, noticing how he leaned up against the door watching me take in the room. Even though my stomach was in knots, I was determined to be bold. “This room isn’t what I pictured. Although, I’m still curious if I’ll find those firetruck sheets on your bed,” I teased.

He smirked and lifted off the wall, strolling across the room until he was not even a full step away from me. I tilted my head up towards him and watched his eyes dart between my eyes and my lips. My breath quickened as he took my hands in his. “Do you want to see for yourself?” he asked, slowly leading me down the hall with him before I even answered the question.

We stepped into his room; my eyes still fixated on his to pay attention to what the room looked like in the dark. He made no effort to turn on a light. The only light illuminating the room was from the moon shining through the window.

“I really do like this dress,” he said, scanning his eyes down my body and stopping at my breasts. His mouth hung open and I sensed his desire. “You know what would make it even more beautiful?”

“What’s that,” I breathed.

He smirked, pulling me closer to him. He leaned in close to my ear, breathing lightly against my skin, which caused a frenzy of emotions to come to the surface. “If it was lying on my bedroom floor,” he whispered.

A small hum left my lungs at the thought, knowing full well I was gone. This man could do anything he wanted to me without hesitation.

His nose dragged across my cheek until his lips met mine for a gentle kiss. I let my arms circle around his neck and hold him close. His large and capable hands held my waist and drew up along my back until he reached the zipper. With precision, he slowly pulled the zipper down and slipped his hands into the back, seeking bare skin. He moaned against my mouth, kissing me harder and more fervently. I let go of him, pulling on the straps of the dress to free myself from the fabric. The dress fell to the ground in a heap, causing Sidney to growl with excitement. His mouth moved to my neck and shoulders, leaving wet, eager kisses across my skin. He pulled my hips closer, colliding our bodies together and allowing me to feel his arousal through his pants. I breathed with anticipation and tossed my head back, pushing my hips into his.

His own breathing became more erratic as he continued to leave hot kisses along my skin. I closed my eyes, letting myself truly enjoy every moment. He moaned as he placed his hand at the back of my head and pulled me towards his craving lips again. While we continued to devour each other’s mouths with overzealous kissing, he hastily removed his suit jacket and pulled off his tie. I helped him pull his shirt free from his pants and began to unbutton it. We were both getting impatient and the last couple buttons got yanked free. I heard a slight ripping sound, which caused me to laugh against his mouth. He drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly, while he leaned his head back and skimmed his eyes down my form once again. He swallowed hard against his dry mouth before looking into my eyes. He looked pensive as if he was reading my thoughts and questioning his actions. I smiled sheepishly and dragged my fingers down his chest and stomach until they reached the hem of his pants. I tugged at the waistband before moving to the button and helping him along.

His hands cupped my face, drawing me in for another fervent kiss. He walked me backwards towards the bed, causing me to trip slightly from the heels. He sat me down on the bed and stood back up to hastily finish removing the rest of his clothes. I pulled off the heels on my feet and then undid the snap of my bra, remembering how he struggled with it last time. He noticed me unhook it and gently reached out to take the strap and pull it off my shoulders, releasing my breasts from their confines. My eyes rose back up to his and the look on his face was pure longing.

He leaned down and gently kissed my lips, allowing himself to fully enjoy the moment. He leaned in further, crawling over top of me. I moved with him settling in on the pillow. He let his entire body rest against mine for a moment, before he rose up on his elbows and knees.

Our heavy breathing matched as we continued to kiss. He gently caressed my face and tucked hair behind my ear. I allowed myself to truly explore his muscular body with my open hands. He cupped my breast, squeezing it and letting his thumb vigorously brush across the lively nipple. He pulled away from my lips with a start and quickly brought his lips to my nipple like he couldn’t hold back any longer. I exasperatedly moaned at the responsiveness my body had to his touch. I was ready to come undone.

“Sidney,” I breathed, before sucking the air back through my teeth as I got closer and closer to the edge. My body writhed beneath him, begging for more. I arched my back letting my head fall back. He growled against my skin as he continued to suck my breast into his mouth and graze his teeth across it. I sat up with a start, causing him to stop suckling my nipple. He stared at me with a worried expression and swallowed thickly. My mouth slammed into his for greedy kisses, my tongue seeking out his. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of me. I desperately wanted to feel the weight of his body against mine. My legs wrapped around his waist, reminding me that I still had my panties on. I groaned that I’d have to release him so I could remove them. He rocked his hips against mine, causing the friction to build. I dropped my feet to the bed and pushed off to roll us on the bed. I sat on top of him, breathlessly taking in the sight. His hands rested at my hips as he tried to catch his breath and study my next move.

He smirked as one of his thumbs dipped under my panties and sought out my sensitive bud. I moaned pleasurably and let my head fall back. I rocked my hips into his and before I knew what was happening, he pulled on the thin fabric of my panties, ripping them on both sides. I laughed as he pulled the decimated fabric from between my legs and tossed it to the floor. I bit my lip excitedly and I moved to straddle him better and allow his cock to enter me. He moaned loudly and closed his eyes as I settled in around him. My breathing quickened as I started to rock my hips, watching the pleasure I was eliciting in this man. Feeling my own pleasure was imminent, I quickened my movements, closing my eyes and truly being in the moment. He suddenly rolled me over and settled back between my legs. I opened my hips wider, allowing him more access. I reached behind me and grabbed the bars of the headboard as he plunged into me with a force I wasn’t expecting, but fully enjoyed. He too gripped the headboard with one of his hands while the other rested on my breast and occasionally squeezed. I moaned loudly with every thrust and screamed out as the most powerful orgasm hit me hard.

“Yes, Charlotte!” he breathed. “Yes!” I tried my best to catch my breath as he continued to thrust into me, but I couldn’t help but feel the pressure building again. I begged him for another, hoping he would hold out a little longer so I could experience the pleasure he brought me once more. His breathing was labored, and his eyes were sealed shut. His jaw clenched repeatedly as he moaned uncontrollably with every thrust. He pulled out of me almost completely before forcefully plunging back in. That one movement sent me over the edge and once again the pleasurable explosion filled me. I withered below him, just as he fell in a heap on top of me gasping for air. He chuckled and moaned repeatedly as he came down from the high his own orgasm caused.

He kissed my neck a few times before rolling over and pulling me with him. I rested against his chest, fitting my head perfectly in the crook of his neck. I let my leg drape across his while my fingers drew circles on his chest. He curled his arm around me, rubbing up and down my arm.

We were both drenched in sweat and between my legs, hot liquid pooled. “Did I really just give you two?” he asked breathlessly.

I giggled and snuggled into him closer. “Yes. And they were amazing.” He moaned proudly, tightening his hold around me. He kissed my damp forehead and rested back against the pillow. “Was it good for you?” I asked quietly.

“Like you said; amazing.” I smiled, satisfied with myself and closed my eyes to rest. Within minutes I could hear his rhythmic breathing, which lulled me into a deep sleep, nestled in his arms and wrapped in grey sheets rather than firetruck sheets.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was inspired by the quote below that I saw posted on Facebook. It was exactly what I had been trying to portray with this chapter and seeing this gave me even more inspiration on how to finish it. I feel like this quote really fits my other story, Heywood Equestrian Stables also. 
> 
> “People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is 'you're safe with me'- that's intimacy.”
> 
> ― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

I was slightly awoken in the morning by a movement on the bed. I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes and face the day, so I rolled over and went back to sleep, pulling the sheets up under my chin. 

I was awoken again when I felt someone sit down on the bed next to me and gently caress my cheek. “Charlotte,” he whispered. I took a deep breath in and slightly rolled on the bed to look up at him. He smiled when he saw me. Thoughts of what happened the night before filled my mind and for a moment I felt very self-conscious about what I must look like in the morning. The scent of soap and cologne filled my senses, indicating he had taken a shower. “Do you have to work today? If I need to give you a ride home I can.”

My stomach tightened for a moment as I thought about what he was saying. I felt as if he was trying to get rid of me. I winced at his words and began to sit up, keeping myself covered as best I could. His eyebrows furrowed at what I was doing. “If you need me to leave, I can always call a cab.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t want you to leave. But if you need to work, I don’t want you to be late either.”

“Oh,” I breathed, feeling a slight relief that he wasn’t trying to get rid of me. I thought about what the day was and tried to remember what my schedule looked like. “I don’t have to work at the bookstore. I did have a photo session set up for this afternoon, but I could cancel it.” I glanced towards the window and noticed the rain coming down pretty hard. Since it was supposed to be an outdoor photoshoot with kids, it didn’t make a lot of sense to do it in the rain. I grabbed my phone and saw that the client had already texted to reschedule due to the rain. I texted back and told her we would set something up for another day. 

“Do you want to stay then?” he asked nervously.

I bit my bottom lip, trying hard not to show my enthusiasm too much. “Yes.”

He grinned excitedly. “I was going to go get us coffee and breakfast, but I don’t know what you like.”

“A mocha would be great.”

“Any special request on breakfast?” he asked.

“Whatever you decide is fine.” 

He laughed and nodded his head. “If you want to take a shower, you’re welcome to it. I left a towel on the counter for you.”

“Thank you.” 

He leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before leaving. I listened for the front door to click shut before I hopped up off the bed, wrapping the sheet around me and went searching for the bag I brought with me. When I found it, I went into the bathroom and showered, taking my time to really enjoy the hot water and get clean. I was super thankful Clara made me take the bag of supplies with me. I was able to brush my teeth, brush out my hair, and put on clean clothes that wasn’t a dress. I made myself look semi-decent from what I had available to me. When I finished, I slowly walked back into the bedroom and picked up the dress off the floor and stuffed it into my bag. I could hear sounds in the other room and decided to go see what Sidney had in mind for breakfast.

He was sitting on the couch and had two boxes with two coffee drinks sitting on the coffee table. When he saw me, he grinned and put out his hand to motion for me to come closer. I walked across the room and took his hand. He pulled me into his lap, so I straddled his legs. His hands rested at the small of my back and he licked his bottom lip as his eyes darted from my eyes to my mouth. I sensed what he wanted, so I cupped his face in my hands, kissing him tenderly. His hands roamed up my back, pulling me closer to him. 

“Did you have last night planned?” he asked, glancing down at the tank top and leggings I now had on.

I laughed and shook my head. “Clara insisted I bring a small bag with a few things just in case I ended up staying the night with you.”

“So, it was planned,” he decided with a smirk.

“Not exactly planned, more like prepared for just in case,” I explained. 

“You keep surprising me with these dates of ours. I wasn’t expecting last night to end up like it did,” he admitted. 

“Clara sort of made the suggestion that since we were in an actual relationship and you were taking me on these extravagant dates you were looking for something more,” I explained.

He wrinkled his forehead as if he was upset. “I wasn’t looking for anything more,” he said. “I just wanted us to have a nice dinner. If I was lucky, maybe we’d go back to your apartment and talk for a while like we did last time, then we’d end with a goodnight kiss. But then you came out of left field surprising me with interest to see my place and making me believe you wanted more. If you really didn’t, I wouldn’t have let it go so far.”

“Sidney,” I stopped him by placing my finger against his lips, trying to ease his mind of worry. “It’s alright. I wasn’t really planning last night, but it doesn’t mean I regret it.”

He sighed, tightening his arms around me. “Even if it wasn’t planned, I am glad you stayed. I enjoyed last night.” 

I combed my fingers through his hair and smiled. “So did I.” I kissed him again, letting my lips linger against his.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, brushing his nose against mine. 

I smirked. “What did you end up getting?”

He took a deep breath and started to sit up. I moved off of his lap and sat down next to him. He grabbed one of the take-out boxes and handed it to me. “The best waffles in town.”

I opened the box to find a crispy waffle smothered with chocolate sauce, thick whip cream and strawberries. “This looks more like a dessert,” I laughed. 

He laughed with me, handing me a fork and knife. “But it’s worth it,” he insisted. 

I sat up and put the box on the table so I could attempt to eat it. I was sure I was going to go into a sugar coma after eating it. Despite the amount of sugar, it was really good. I only ate a small portion of it, feeling the sugar intake hitting my system. Sidney ate all of his and then finished off mine when I told him I couldn’t eat anymore. “Did you have anything in mind to do today?” I asked, settling back against the couch. 

He sat back and leaned closer to me, linking our fingers together. “I was thinking, since it’s raining, we could just stay in today,” he suggested.

“I like that idea,” I agreed. “Especially since I don’t have panties on.”

He laughed bashfully. “Sorry about that. I got a little carried away. I’ll have to replace them.”

I looked at him as seductively as I could. “No need to be sorry. You can rip my panties as often as you want. I don’t mind.” He laughed, turning his head in embarrassment. 

My phone started to buzz on the table, interrupting our moment. I sat up and looked to see who it was. 

“Hello,” I said with an annoyed tone. Why was Clara calling me?

“Just checking to make sure you’re alright,” she said.

“I appreciate the concern, but I’m perfectly fine.”

“Last night went well, I take it?” she wondered.

I grinned, knowing Sidney was listening to our conversation. “Very well.” 

“Should I expect you home at some point today?” she wondered.

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know.” I hung up before she could ask anymore questions. I honestly didn’t know what the plan was for the rest of the day or if he’d want me to stay another night. 

“Clara?” he asked. I nodded my head.

“I’ve been thinking about something. We need to take a couple selfie pictures and update our status on Facebook,” I said. I wasn’t huge on social media, but I wanted the world to know that this amazing man was mine.

He threw his head back laughing. “Alright,” he agreed. 

I snuggled in closer to him, tucking my legs underneath me and turning sideways towards him. I held up the phone above us to get a good angle. I took a couple shots of us smiling, a few more of us looking at each other, then he turned to kiss my cheek during one of the shots. I turned towards him, still holding the phone above us and kissed him, taking the opportunity to take a couple pictures of us. We took a moment to look through the photos and he asked me to text him a few of them. I set up to change my Facebook status and add a couple photos of us, but before I posted it, I confirmed he was alright with what I was about to do. He nodded his head and clicked the button for me, confirming the post. Within seconds there were friends from both of our Facebooks liking and commenting. I put my phone down and turned back towards him, resting my arm along his shoulder. He gently rubbed my knee with his palm. “Can I ask you something?” I said, feeling just a little apprehensive about bringing it up. 

“Of course.”

“It’s kind of odd. Maybe you won’t even want to answer it,” I began, starting to wonder if I should have even brought it up. 

“What is it,” he chuckled.

I sighed, biting my bottom lip nervously. “Last night you seemed surprised that I had two orgasms. Why?”

He pursed his lips and swallowed nervously. “I guess I’d been convinced I wasn’t capable.”

“You weren’t capable?” I questioned.

“The ex,” he breathed, rolling her eyes. “She told me I never gave her pleasure. All the years we were together she claimed she was faking. Again, to back up her reasoning for why she had to cheat on me. I was boring even in bed.”

“Did you think I was faking?” I wondered.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” he answered shyly. “But if you were, it was rather convincing.”

“I wasn’t faking, I assured. “Not at all. And again, I think this woman you were with for all those years is an idiot. She doesn’t deserve you.”

He smiled as if I had just said the most amazing thing in the world. “I’m sure glad I figured that out before I married her.”

I smiled and leaned into his side. “I am too. Sometimes people are much more compatible with someone else.”

“I’m definitely beginning to believe that. I’m not sure why I wasted so much time with her.”

“How long were you with her?”

“Six years,” he said.

I coughed, thinking how long that was. “That’s a really long time to be with someone who doesn’t bring you pleasure.”

“Yes, well. She liked the money more than anything,” he explained.

“Money?” I questioned.

He sighed and took my hands in his, cautiously looking at their connection. “I have a lot of money. It’s family money that was inherited through my mother. My brother’s and I really don’t need to work. We do it because we love it. It’s in our blood. Eliza enjoyed the lavish lifestyle money brought her. Unfortunately, I’m still paying the price for giving her everything she wanted.”

“That explains the helicopter ride and the fancy restaurant,” I thought out loud. “How are you still paying for it?”

“She got accustomed to a certain lifestyle and expects to still live that lifestyle,” he said. I was confused by what that meant. He could tell his answer didn’t make a lot of sense to me. “When we broke up, she insisted on keeping the house we once shared, she wanted the expensive car I bought her, she expected monthly clothing and shopping allowances, a new phone every time a new one is released. You name it, she wanted it.”

“And you allowed her to take advantage of you like that?” I asked, feeling really angry that he would still be paying for all these things for someone who cheated on him. “I could understand all of that if you were married and there was no prenup or something. But to continue paying all her bills just because she became accustomed to it doesn’t make any sense. Why are you allowing her to do that to you?”

He sighed looking ashamed. “I know. I’ve been telling myself the same thing, but I feel bad when she comes crying about being broke.”

“I get feeling responsible after such a long time, but it’s not your fault she’s a lowlife manipulator.” I was getting angry and probably saying things I was going to regret. Who was I to tell him what he should or shouldn’t do with his money? “I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t be saying all this. I just don’t like that you’re being taken advantage of.”

He smiled and nodded his head. “You’re right, though. I’ve let it go on far too long.”

“I guess I understand more why you haven’t been in another relationship since her. I’m sure the thought of having someone else be just like her is concerning,” I said. I was really beginning to feel like everything I said was going to come off as meddling or too personal, but whoever this girl was, I wanted to tell her off. 

“Are you like her?” he asked nervously.

I scoffed at the question. “Not at all. Money is nice when you have it, yes, but I would not be spending it on fancy cars and clothing that isn’t practical. I don’t care for parties or the lavish lifestyle. It’s not me. I’m much more comfortable sitting at home in leggings and a t-shirt, watching Netflix, and eating waffles.” He grinned happily and sighed as if a huge weight had been lifted from his chest. He drew me in and kissed me passionately, pulling me back into his lap.

“Can I ask you something?” he said, holding my face in his hands and gently rubbing my cheeks with his thumbs. He looked serious as if he was about to ask me something profound. I nodded my head, feeling slightly nervous about what he might ask me. “What do you watch on Netflix?”

We laughed and I shrugged my shoulders. “Honestly, I’ve been so busy lately with editing the photos for the calendar that I haven’t had much time to watch anything.”

He leaned up, grabbing the remote off the table, but kept one arm wrapped around me so I wouldn’t move from off his lap. He settled back against the couch and while he pushed some buttons on the remote, he drew circles along my back, causing me to relax against him. I turned just enough to see the TV while he turned on Netflix. I noticed in his continue watching section there were lots of shows that had something to do with firemen.

I giggled and turned towards him. My fingers softly played with the hair at the back of his neck. “What’s so funny?” he asked.

“I think you have a problem. Every show you watch has something to do with firemen.” He glanced at the screen and chuckled, maybe even turning a slight shade of pink from embarrassment. 

He handed me the remote. “You choose what we watch.” I tried to climb off of his lap to face the TV, but he quickly pulled me back. I giggled but remained where I was and just turned slightly. I really had no interest in watching anything. I clicked on the first show in his continue watching section and pushed play, putting the remote down on the counter and turning back towards him. He grinned happily. “Good choice.” We both sighed almost simultaneously and settled in to watch the show. I didn’t know who the characters were or what was really happening in the show, but I was enjoying being close to Sidney and feeling entirely at home just being in his arms as we watched TV.

The show we watched was intense and at times made me wonder if things as dangerous as they depicted on the show were things Sidney ever had to face. I worried even more for his safety. It probably wasn’t the smartest decision to choose a show that had firemen going into dangerous situations and occasionally getting hurt. 

“Do you ever get scared?” I asked quietly, gently running my fingertips along his arm.

“Yes,” he admitted. “Every day. Every call.”

“Why do you do it, then?” I wondered, knowing now that he didn’t even need to do it to afford to live. 

“Because I love it. I love saving lives, saving communities, saving memories. I don’t want to be just another rich guy who amounts to nothing but being rich. I want to be something people are proud of; something people remember for the great things I did rather than for how much I was worth.”

I turned and sat up, so I was face to face with him. “You’re a lot different than most men. Most don’t think about life like that.”

“You’re a lot different than most women,” he laughed. “Most would want to go shopping the minute they knew the guy they were seeing had money.”

“Do they?” I questioned, wondering if that’s really how the women he’d dated had acted.

He nodded his head. “It’s not that I mind spending money on someone I care about, but most just expect it the minute they find out. I suddenly turn into an ATM. But you haven’t even asked how much money I really have.”

“I have no interest in how much money you have. It’s none of my business. I’m also not interested in going shopping. Quite frankly, I find the task rather tiresome. You should have seen me trying to pick out a dress for our dinner yesterday. Clara had me trying on nearly every dress in the shop. I was so ready to call you and ask if we could do something different because I was done trying on dresses.”

He laughed and stroked his chin. “That’s what I mean. You’re different, and I like it.” His eyes dropped to my lips. Slowly, he moved in and gently kissed my lips, taking his time to enjoy my mouth pressed to his. I moaned against his mouth, wrapping my fingers around his neck and deepening the kiss. His hands began to find their way under my shirt and gently massage my back. I pressed my hips into his, feeling his arousal under the thin material of my leggings. Unfortunately, my stomach betrayed me when it growled loudly. He stopped kissing me and chuckled. I felt humiliated. “The waffle not enough to fill you up?”

“It was a lot of sugar for first thing in the morning,” I reminded. 

“Let’s find something to eat for lunch then,” he suggested. I climbed off of his lap and stood up to go into his kitchen. He watched me curiously. “Where are you going?”

“In the kitchen to make something to eat.”

“We can order something,” he offered as if he couldn’t fathom actually making something in his kitchen.

“Do you ever cook in your kitchen?” I wondered. 

“Yes. On occasion I do make something. I’m just not home often enough to keep a lot of food around.”

I walked into the kitchen and looked through the fridge and cupboards. There was pasta in the cupboard and a pesto sauce that wasn’t expired in the fridge. I found a chicken breast and some mushrooms and a red pepper. I could work with this. “Where do you keep your pots and pans?” I asked. He walked into the kitchen with me and showed me where everything was. I began chopping up the vegetables, then the chicken and started boiling the water. Sidney leaned up against a counter and watching me intently while I made us lunch. When it was done, I walked over to his dining room table and placed both plates on the table. He walked over with a smirk on his face and sat down across from me. 

“How do you do that?” he asked, picking up his fork and beginning to poke at the food. 

“Do what?” I asked.

“Walk into a kitchen and just whip up something gourmet like this?”

I scoffed. “This isn’t gourmet. It’s barely edible, if you ask me.”

“On the contrary, it’s delicious. I don’t know how you did it.”

“Hidden talent, I guess,” I laughed.

“I’m looking forward to learning new hidden talents you have,” he teased, causing me to grin at him across the table.

After we ate, we did the dishes together and then he showed me around his house more. He had a modest three-bedroom home with a nice size backyard. A hot tub sat under an awning. If it wasn’t raining, I might have suggested we go in for a while. One of the bedrooms had exercise equipment while the other room was fairly empty other than a few boxes that he explained held a lot of the firetrucks he’d collected over the years. He had thoughts of turning the extra room into a display room at some point. I was already picturing it in my mind. 

After a tour of his house, we sat back on the couch and watched more of the show. I ended up falling asleep at some point. I remembered curling up next to him, his arm draped over me and his gentle caresses making me feel sleepy. I tried everything not to fall asleep, so he didn’t think I was bored with him or to do something silly like talk in my sleep again, if I really did do that. Somehow, exhaustion won out. 

The next thing I knew, I was being jostled by Sidney moving out from underneath me. I sat up, trying to brush the sleepiness off my face. “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s alright. I shouldn’t have fallen asleep. I guess I got a little too comfortable.”

“Just comfortable, not bored?” he chuckled. 

“No. Never bored. Someone must have made me exhausted last night.”

He rose his eyebrows and smirked. “I wonder who did that?”

“I wonder,” I said in return.

“It stopped raining. I normally go for a run in the late afternoon or work out in my gym. I’m not sure how you feel about running. Maybe we could just go for a walk? Unless you’d rather not.”

“I’d love to. The problem is, I only have the heels I wore with the dress. I guess I should have packed a pair of shoes,” I said.

“Hold on, I might have something.” He left the room and went in the bedroom for a moment. When he came out, he carried a pair of old sandals. “I’m not sure they will fit you, but they belonged to my sister. Somehow, they got mixed in with my stuff when I moved. 

I tried them on and even though they were a little big, they would do. He pulled a sweatshirt over my head and took my hand, walking me out of the house. He led me down the sidewalk until we reached a narrow path that led over a hill. The sun had just set, making the night sky hazy but there was still enough sunlight to see. We ended up coming upon a playground where he led me to a swing. He wiped the water off the seat and motioned for me to sit down. I laughed at him but did as he requested and let him swing me. I squealed when he started to push me really high. I hadn’t swung since I was a kid, so the exhilaration was overwhelming. 

When the swing slowed, he sat in the swing next to me and looked rather serious. I reached out and rubbed my hand across his cheek. “Everything alright?” I asked.

He looked up at me and slightly grinned before letting his mouth fall back into a frown. I was sort of worried what he was about to say. “There’s a reason I wanted you to stay with me today. I wanted you to see the real me. I wanted you to know just how boring my life truly is. This is what a normal day when I’m not working looks like. I get up, I shower, I eat breakfast, I watch TV, I work out, I order in, and then I go to bed. It’s not glamorous, it’s not exciting or special. I’ve shared everything about who I am with you. If you wish to leave, I’ll understand.”

“Why would I leave?” I asked, feeling upset that he would think I would want to leave. “Sidney, of all the days I’ve spent with you, today has been the best. I liked being comfortable, I liked being able to snuggle in your arms and watch TV, I liked making lunch with you and doing the dishes afterwards. I just like spending time with you and sometimes the most special times are those when we do normal, everyday things together without trying to impress each other or impress anyone else. Do you want to know what glamorous things I do on my days off? I sit at home, probably in the exact same thing I have on now, drink way too much coffee, and stare at my computer screen while I edit pictures. If I get frustrated with a certain picture not coming out the way I want or my editing program acting up, I bake something. That’s how glamorous my life is. I don’t want or need extravagant things. All I need is someone who’s happy to be by my side regardless of what we’re doing.”

He grinned proudly, before leaning towards me and kissing me full of passion and overwhelming joy. His hands cupped my face, holding me to him. We were so consumed in the moment, neither of us realized it was starting to rain again. The rain was coming down even harder than earlier. We hopped out of the swings and ran towards the trail. I slipped a few times since the sandals were too big, but Sidney held on to me so I wouldn’t fall. By the time we got back to his house, we were both soaked. I was laughing when we walked through the door. 

“I’m so sorry,” he said, wiping rain off my face. 

“Don’t be. It’s just rain. I’m not going to melt,” I teased. He breathed a sigh of relief while I removed the sweatshirt that was now drenched. He too started removing his wet shoes and clothing, exposing his bare chest. My breath caught in my lungs at the sight of him. I’d seen him without a shirt plenty of times, but it still caught me off guard every time. Instinct took over and I reached out to touch him. He took a deep breath in, watching my fingers explore his muscular chest. He grabbed my hand and forcefully pulled me to him. Our wet bodies collided and there was a moment of hesitation on both our parts as we searched each other’s eyes for answers. I hoped my own expression told him how much I wanted him.

Our lips met for a forceful kiss, moving against each other with open mouths, tongues colliding, noses crashing, and chests heaving with desire. He picked me up, wrapping my legs around him, and carried me to the bedroom. Very carefully, he placed me on the bed, hovering over me as we continued to kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him down on top of me. He laughed against my mouth and pulled away for just a moment. He started to undo his pants and kick them off. I too took the moment to remove my tank top and leggings. I started to unclasp my bra, but Sidney stopped me by pulling my hands away. He came over top of me and pinned my arms above my head as I fell back on the pillow. I licked my lips eagerly as he watched my mouth. His lips met mine again, but with a gentleness as if he was taking his time. 

He moved to my neck, kissing and dragging his tongue across my damp skin. His hands drew down my arms, releasing my wrists from his hold and tucked in behind my back, lifting me slightly off the bed to arch my back. He worked at the clasp on my bra and released my breasts from the fabric, pulling it up over my head and off my arms. He dragged his lips down my chest and suckled onto my nipple, swirling his tongue around it. I gasped and arched further into him. He made his way to the other nipple, doing the same thing. He continued down, kissing my tummy and paying extra attention to my belly button. He moaned pleasantly against my skin as if he was devouring me. He made his way back up to my lips, kissing me passionately and easing his body down against me. 

“Is this alright?” he asked breathlessly. “I don’t want to find out tomorrow it wasn’t what you wanted, but you went with it because it’s what you thought I wanted.”

I gently caressed his cheek and smiled up at him. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want this. I want you, Sidney.” I adjusted under him, causing him to groan loudly and close his eyes tightly when I moved against his hard cock between my legs. I grinned and kissed his lips in an attempt to apologize. He relaxed and kissed me again all while he used his knees to push my legs apart and settle in between them. He gently held my face in his hands while he continued to kiss me slowly and sensually. I gasped as he entered me and started to move against my hips. He moved at a slow and steady pace, truly taking the time to enjoy our connection. I let my body relax, giving myself to him entirely. I arched my back and let my head fall back, moaning loudly as an orgasm rushed through me. I writhed beneath him, feeling the ecstasy he brought me. 

I felt Sidney smile against my neck as he continued to rock our bodies together. He slowly pulled out of me, causing me to whine at the loss of our connection. I wasn’t sure what he was doing. He gave me a playful look before sliding down and kissing my tummy again and moving further down until he was kissing the inside of my legs. My body instinctually tightened at the thought of what was coming. I whimpered and looked at him longingly as he sat up on the bed and grinned excitedly. I knew what he was doing. He wanted to give me another orgasm. I sensed it gave him pride to please me. I whimpered again as he settled between my legs and sucked my clit between his lips. My breathing became more labored as he continued to lick my clit and occasionally gently bite down before sucking it back into his lips. While he worked up my clit, he slipped two fingers inside of me, twisting them around and gently stroking the inside walls. 

I gripped the sheets under me and nearly lifted off the bed. I screamed loudly and tightened around his fingers as another orgasm hit me. “Oh God, Sidney. That was…” 

He breathed happily as he made his way back up my body with his kisses. “Amazing?” he breathed. I nodded my head and whimpered again. “Can I give you another?”

“Please,” I begged arching my hips back into him. His cock entered me again, causing an instant feeling of pleasure hit me. He pressed into me harder than before, causing me to wince at the slight discomfort. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as I relaxed again and gave myself to him. He continued the rocking motion, using one hand to lift me off the bed as the other supported his weight. I came up into his lap, whimpering as he used all his strength to guide my hips up and down on him with a quick and steady pace. I felt every thrust deep in my soul. It was as if every nerve of my body was on fire. My body trembled and even a few tears fell from my eyes as I moaned against his shoulder. As I bit down on his shoulder and gasped for air, he came inside of me with loud moans of pleasure. 

He grabbed my face, bringing me out in front of him, brushing the hair away from my face. He had the most pleasing grin on his face that fell as soon as he saw the tears on my cheeks. His thumbs wiped them away as he tried to slow his breathing. “What’s wrong?” he asked, sounding as if he was truly concerned that he had done something wrong. 

Fresh tears filled my eyes and I wasn’t even sure why. I shook my head, trying hard to find the words. “It’s just…” I swallowed hard against the dry mouth. “I’ve never experienced something so powerful. The third made me overwhelmed with emotion. Nothing’s wrong other than feeling entirely happy right now.”

He grinned, pleased with himself and settled us back on the bed. He wrapped me up in his arms and held me tightly while kissing the back of my head. We laid wrapped around each other for hours; not sleeping, not saying anything, just enjoying our time together. My fingers traced gently along his arm, while he tenderly ran his thumb across my lips and cheek. 

“I have to go to work in the morning,” he whispered, breaking the silence. 

“I know,” I said, sadly. 

“I’ll let you sleep in, if you want. Maybe Clara can pick you up when you wake up,” he suggested.

I shook my head. “I want to get up with you. I want to tell you goodbye before you go.”

“Alright,” he whispered, kissing my shoulder and letting his lips rest against my skin. I closed my eyes dreading the morning. I wished the night would never end. I wanted to remain in his arms forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be at the fire station and we will meet a few more of those firemen.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since we don't have clear names for Babington and Crowe they have new names in this story, but when I refer to them I'll still use Babington and Crowe for the most part.   
> Hunter Crowe  
> Cole Babington

I sat at my desk, absentmindedly staring at the photos on my phone I had taken of Sidney and I at his house. I was supposed to be editing photos and putting the final touches on the calendar so I could start getting them printed. But I just couldn’t find it in me to focus. I kept thinking about Sidney and our day and nights spent together. I hadn’t heard from him since he dropped me off at home before he went to work that morning, which bothered me. He usually called me.

I didn’t want to get up that morning. Once I heard his alarm go off, tears started to fill my eyes. I didn’t want to let him go. Letting him go to work meant he had to put himself in danger. I worried more than anything that he would get hurt. When he drove me home, he sensed my sadness and tried to reassure me that he’d be done with work soon enough and we could be back together again. His words did little to ease my concern. He kissed me goodbye for as long as possible until he couldn’t stay any longer. I knew it was hard for him to let go because it was just as hard for me to let him go. I felt like I was counting down the seconds before I’d see him again.

I sighed, looking through the Facebook comments from the post I made, seeing quite a few from people I didn’t know. I had a couple new friend requests from who I assumed were Sidney’s friends or family. I felt strange about accepting them and decided to wait until I talked to Sidney about it. There was one comment that struck me as odd. It was from an Eliza, who I had to assume was his ex. Even though they had broken up, he was still friends with her on Facebook. Her comment was simple but telling. All she posted was, ‘Wow!’ I stared at that comment for quite some time, thinking on how she still had Sidney wrapped around her finger. He was never going to be free from her unless he did something about it. We were never going to be able to move forward unless she was gone from his life for good. 

I hated being the nosey girlfriend, but I wanted to know more about her. Thankfully she didn’t have a private Facebook. I was able to see everything she posted. She seemed rather conceited, posting plenty of pictures of herself. She was beautiful at first sight, but knowing what I did about her, helped me see past her beauty. There were pictures of her on extravagant vacations with groups of friends as well as a guy who was prominent in her photos. I imagined that was probably the guy she cheated on Sidney with. She wrote posts about always being broke and not being able to pay her bills because it cost too much money to look as good as she did. She was rather ridiculous, and I had a hard time believing Sidney actually stayed with her for six years. He wasn’t anything like her. He was shy and modest and cared more about people than anything else. They just didn’t seem compatible at all. 

“Are you going to stalk his ex all day?” Clara asked from behind me.

I quickly put my phone down and tried to focus on my computer screen instead. “I’m not stalking his ex.”

She laughed. “It sure looked like you were. That is his ex, right?”

I nodded my head, turning around in my chair to look at her. “I’m just curious who she is.”

“You’ve barely done anything on those photos today. Aren’t you supposed to have them done by now?”

I shrugged. “I don’t necessarily have a deadline. I wanted to have them done, but that was my own personal deadline.”

“Why do you seem so depressed?” she asked. “It’s not like you to be sitting here and not be completely enthralled with some sort of photo edit.”

I sighed. “I guess I’m just missing Sidney. Yesterday was the most amazing day I’ve ever had, even though we didn’t do much of anything. But now he’s at work and he hasn’t called me or texted me once. I’m just worried if he’s alright.”

“Go see him,” she suggested.

“I can’t go see him,” I argued. “How pathetic would I be if I went to see him at work?”

“Charlotte, you have the perfect excuse to go see him. These photos need final approvals from all those firemen before you print off the calendars, don’t they?”

I thought about what she said for a moment and started to see the logic in what she was suggesting. She was right. I did need approvals. A devious grin spread across my face and Clara laughed as a plan began to form in my mind. I just needed to finish up the last couple edits and I could do exactly as she suggested. 

Late in the afternoon, I pulled up to the fire station and gathered the envelope with all the photos before getting out of the car. I rang the buzzer at the front door and a few moments later Arthur came around to let me in. 

“Charlotte!” he greeted excitedly. “What are you doing here?”

“I have the final draft of photos for the calendar and thought I’d bring them by to get everyone’s approval before sending them off to have the calendars printed,” I explained, hoping my story would sound reasonable.

“What fantastic news,” he said, ushering me through the door. We walked down the hallway towards the common area where pretty much everyone was sitting around doing something that didn’t resemble work. Some were watching TV, another was looking through a car magazine, a couple of them were highly focused on a game of chess, while another was in the kitchen area making something to eat. Sidney was lounging on a chair reading a book, paying no attention to what was going on around him. 

“Sidney!” Arthur yelled out causing everyone to turn towards him. “You have a visitor.” Arthur turned and winked at me. I was sure my face was bright red at the insinuation that I was there to see Sidney. Of course, I was, but I didn’t think it would be that obvious. I thought my plan would be more convincing. 

Sidney quickly stood up, nearly dropping his book and tripping over his own feet as he made his way towards me. “Hi,” he said eagerly. 

“Hi,” I said shyly, noticing how everyone in the room was staring at us. “I actually came to see all of you. I have the final proofs of the photos for the calendar and thought everyone would like to see before I send them off to be printed.”

Many of the guys left whatever it was they were doing and came rushing over, eagerly waiting to see the photos. My attention stayed on Sidney as I removed the photos from the envelope. I began placing them on the table as everyone quickly started snatching up their own photo to examine them. 

“These are fantastic!” 

“I look good, don’t I?” 

“Not as good as I look.”

“I have a bunch of other photos that aren’t necessarily edited properly, but if anyone wants something for their own personal use, you’re welcome to them. I can always edit the photo if you want something specific,” I explained, laying all the other photos I had out. Greedy hands started searching through the pile for photos of themselves.

“While all of you drool over yourselves, I’m going to steal my beautiful girlfriend away for a moment of privacy,” Sidney said, grabbing my hand and leading me away. “Don’t need us.”

A bunch of the men laughed or made teasing remarks as Sidney led me out of the room and down a hall into a small office area. Once alone, he cupped my face and eagerly kissed me. I rested my hands on his hips and leaned into him while he continued to kiss me as if we hadn’t seen each other in weeks. 

He took a deep breath and grinned happily as he looked at me. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Is it alright that I’m here?” I asked. “I don’t want to come off as the clingy girlfriend who can’t even let you go to work without bothering you. I’m not here to check up on you, if it seems like I am. I guess I just missed you. I hadn’t heard from you all day, so I got worried and…”

“Charlotte,” he said, stopping me from my confession. He affectionately brushed my cheek with his thumb. “I missed you too. I’ve wanted to call you all day, but I didn’t want to come off as the clingy boyfriend who couldn’t leave you alone for even a few hours.”

“You weren’t avoiding me, then?” I asked playfully.

His hands slid down my arms and settled at my lower back. He pulled me flush against him and swayed us back and forth. “I’d never avoid you. I’ve just been trying to keep myself busy.”

“Have you had a lot of calls to go out on today?” I asked, dreading the answer.

“Not really. We had a small brush fire this morning and a report of a car accident we had to go to, but neither were anything major. Other than that, it’s been pretty quiet. We washed the trucks, caught up on paperwork, cleaned up around the station and checked supplies. Now everyone is sitting around waiting for the next call.”

“Is this how it usually is?” I asked.

“Yes. Very rarely do we have anything big to deal with.” Knowing this information eased my concern for his safety. I wished I has asked him sooner about a typical day. 

“So, it’s alright that I’m here? I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

His arms tightened around me. “It’s absolutely alright that you’re here. In fact, if you don’t have anything else to do today, I’d love it if you stayed for longer than a few minutes.”

“I don’t have anywhere to be,” I said cheerfully. Sidney kissed me again, excitedly pulling me into his arms and lifting me off the ground. He placed me on a small desk in the office and wrapped my legs around his waist. Knowing where this was headed, I placed my hand on his chest stopping him from going any further. He stared at me with confusion. “Not here. I don’t want what happened last time to happen again. The alarm is unpredictable.” 

He laughed and nodded his head in understanding. “I suppose I got a little carried away with you being here,” he said. “But you’re right. It’s not the best place.” He kissed me again before taking my hand and walking me back into the room where everyone else was. He held my hand tightly and had a proud grin on his face. I liked seeing him happy. 

The rest of the guys were still looking over the photos when we walked back in.

“These are all great, Charlotte,” Hunter, who preferred to go by his last name of Crowe said. “I didn’t know I could look so good.”

“I’m glad you like them. The whole process was a lot of fun. I hope they bring in a lot of donation money.”

“With my picture in them, they are sure to sell,” Fred said confidently.

“Whose picture is going on the cover?” Otis asked. “Or do we even need to ask?” 

A few of the guys gave Sidney a knowing glance. Sidney looked down and shook his head like he was embarrassed. “I haven’t really decided. Any suggestions?” There was no doubt in my mind who would be on the cover. I’m fairly certain they all knew the answer to that question since not one of them even made a suggestion.

“Have you decided what month each of us will be featured in?” Tom asked.

“I’ve got some ideas. Do any of you have a preference on what month you are featured in?” I asked. They all started talking at once and I couldn’t make sense of what any of them were saying. “Wait a minute. I’ll need to write this down.” I grabbed a piece of paper, and one at a time I asked each of them what month they wanted to be featured in. Arthur wanted December since it was his favorite holiday. Cole Babington, the self-imposed romantic of the crew wanted February for Valentine’s Day. Like Crowe, he preferred to be called by his last name as well. Tom wanted March since it was his wife’s birth month. I found his gesture rather sweet, which everyone else did too. Suddenly everyone wanted to choose the month of their wife or girlfriend’s birthday. Otis chose September for his girlfriend, Georgiana’s birthday. Sam chose November for his wife. Crowe asked for October since it was the month of Oktoberfest. James chose July because July is hot and he decided his photos were the hottest of all. Fred chose April since it just happened to be his girlfriend’s name. And Edward said he wanted January to be the first hot fireman everyone laid their eyes on. He even joked that it would be January all year long in most homes. 

“What about you, Sidney?” Crowe asked. “What month are you choosing?”

“It’s already been decided,” I said, before I realized what I said.

“Has it?” Sidney asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Well… I uh… I guess if you want to choose a month, you can. There’s only a couple left to choose from,” I said bashfully.

He laughed and reached for my hand. “What month did you choose for me?” he asked.

“June.”

“Any particular reason you chose June?” he asked as all the other guys listened in intently. 

I bit my lip, nervously glancing between him and the other guys. “Because it’s my birth month,” I admitted.

He nodded his head and grinned. “I thought so.”

“Is it going to be June all year long in Charlotte’s house?” Arthur asked.

Some of the guys snickered at the comment. Sidney shyly looked down at the ground. For some reason there was a boldness that came over me. “You guys forget, I have all the proofs. I don’t need a small calendar. I can blow up multiple photos of Sidney and use them as wallpaper if I wanted.”

Suddenly there was a loud roar of laughs and snickers from all of them. Sidney pulled me close to him and hid his head in my shoulder. “I cannot believe you just said that,” he laughed. 

“Don’t worry. I’m not really going to put photos of you all over my apartment,” I assured.

“You sure about that?” he asked, teasingly. 

Everyone settled down and slowly went back to whatever they were doing. I started gathering up the photos and putting them back in the envelope. 

“Hey Sidney, can I get some help for a minute?” Arthur called out from the kitchen area. Sidney reluctantly left my side and went off to help his brother.

“Charlotte,” Tom said rather seriously. He was flanked by Cole Babington and Hunter Crowe who all had a serious look on their faces.

“What is it?” I asked.

“We just want you to know how thankful we are for you,” Tom said.

“And not just because you took the photos or your help with the calendar,” Crowe added.

“Yeah it’s mostly because you made Sidney happy,” Babington explained.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen my brother so happy,” Tom continued. “He’s been pretty miserable for years. His ex really did a number on him. He was miserable before they even broke up, but he tried to hold on to her. All of us tried to talk some sense into him, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“You should know he’s never looked at another woman like he looks at you,” Crowe said. “I think it’s safe to say the man is entirely lost.” 

Cole and Tom laughed as if they agreed. “I do hope you care about him as much as he cares about you,” Tom said.

I smiled and glanced between all of them. “I think it’s safe to say I’m entirely lost as well.”

“Glad to hear it,” Tom said, grinning happily.

“Glad to hear what?” Sidney asked, coming up behind me.

“Oh, I was just talking to Charlotte about a Christmas gift for Mary,” Tom lied. Slowly, Babington and Crowe retreated so they weren’t asked any questions by Sidney. “Charlotte got me thinking when she said she could have the photos blown up. Do you think Mary would like one of these portraits of me blown up? She could hang it over the mantelpiece.”

Sidney laughed. “I can’t imagine Mary ever agreeing to hang something like this in the front room. Maybe in a bedroom to be admired privately.”

“You sure she wouldn’t hang it over the mantel? I think she might,” Tom tried to convince. “Well, I’ll think it over and let you know what I decide, Charlotte.”

“Sure thing, Tom.” He walked away, giving me a quick wink.

Sidney turned towards me and took my hands in his. “Do you want to tell me what they were really talking to you about?”

I grinned and shook my head. Of course, he wouldn’t buy what Tom was trying to tell him. “They basically just wanted me to know they approve.”

“Approve of what?” he questioned further.

“Approve of us.”

He snickered. “What a relief. I was so worried about their approval,” he mocked, causing me to laugh. He leaned towards me and kissed me briefly. If we weren’t surrounded by prying eyes, he probably would have kissed me longer. 

Sidney led me to a couch and sat me down next to him. “I want to take you somewhere tomorrow,” he said.

I slumped next to him. “I have to work the next two days.”

He groaned. “Can you maybe quit your job? I’ll take care of you. I don’t want you to worry about finances.”

“Sidney, as appealing as it might sound to not have to worry about working anymore, I don’t want to be anything like your past girlfriends. I don’t want you for your money. I want you for you. I only have to work until two tomorrow. That will give you time to rest after your shift.” 

He tightened his arms around me and grinned excitedly. “How late do you have to work the following day?”

“That day I have to work later. I don’t get off until six,” I explained. “But if you want me to come over that night, I can stop and get us some dinner. I’ll even bring my running shoes if you want to go for a run.”

He laughed at the mention of running shoes, but I was not about to slip on the ground in those sandals again if we went for a run. “Alright, I’m picking you up at work tomorrow and we are going somewhere really special.”

“I don’t have to wear another dress, do I?” I asked with a whine to my tone.

He laughed. “No dress required. In fact, you can wear those running shoes you mentioned. It won’t even cost anything. It’s just somewhere really neat I want to show you.”

“Alright,” I agreed giving him a quick kiss.

He dropped his head and wrinkled his forehead like he was thinking intently about something. I gently rubbed my finger across his head, trying to soften the wrinkles. “About your comment. You are nothing like any of the girls I’ve dated in the past. I want you to know that. You’re so much more than all of them.”

I ran my fingers through his hair and smiled at him. “I just don’t ever want to come across as if I’m using you for money.”

“I know. And I respect you for that. Doesn’t mean I might not want to spoil you from time to time. But I’ll try to keep it at a minimum.”

“Please do,” I laughed.

We sat quietly for a while, listening to the other guys babble on and on about random things. After a while, stories started getting told about when Sidney was a rookie. They all loved embarrassing him in front of me with stories of how he couldn’t control the hose on his first try, or how he climbed the wrong ladder during a training, how he passed out from the heat after his first real call. I understood what Sidney meant when he said they were all like his brothers. Every single one of them treated each other like family. They teased each other like brothers would. They knew details about each other no one else did. They could read each other’s moods and sense what was going on in each other’s thoughts. But more than anything, they had each other’s backs. No matter what, they would support, defend, and protect each other. I found it fascinating how close they all were.

“Sidney,” I began, thinking again on what I had wanted to talk to him about earlier. “I know I said I didn’t want come off as the clingy girlfriend, but can I ask why you’re still friends with your ex on Facebook? She commented on the status change I posted.”

“What did she say?” he asked.

“Just wow. Nothing more. I’m not sure what that means, but it bothered me.”

He sighed and took out his phone. He clicked on Facebook and quickly unfriended her and then blocked her from seeing anything he posts. “There. She can’t post on anything now. I don’t go on Facebook that often. It’s no excuse, but I guess I just didn’t realize I still had her on there.”

“Facebook is only a part of it,” I said. As soon as it came out, I regretted saying it. I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut at times. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

He huffed and gave me a sympathetic smile. “You’re right though. Facebook isn’t the only thing still connecting me to her. I need to let her go completely if I’m going to be committed to you. Tomorrow morning, I’m shutting down everything that’s still connected to her. I promise. She may have taken everything else, but I’m not going to let her take you.”

A huge weight felt lifted from my shoulders. I leaned towards him and kissed him. It was going to be a quick and simple kiss, but instead he pulled me to him and kissed me with an intensity I wasn’t prepared for in front of everyone. I started hearing a few of them whistling and making hooting sounds, but Sidney didn’t seem bothered by it one bit. 

Unfortunately, the alarm went off causing everyone to scatter. “Dammit!” Sidney breathed. “I got to go.”

“I know,” I said, rubbing his cheek and giving him an understanding smile. “I should get going too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He quickly stood and started to head for the garage. “I’ll call you later tonight when I get back.”

I nodded my head and blew him a kiss as he ran off to catch up with everyone else.

Later in the evening, Sidney called and filled me in on the call they went on. He said it was a small kitchen fire that could have been managed with a fire extinguisher if the owners of the home had one. He seemed irritated at the ignorance of people who refused to take proper measures to keep their families and homes safe. I made a mental note to check if we had a fire extinguisher in the apartment and thought it best to check all the smoke detectors as well. I didn’t want him coming over and discovering I was one of those ignorant people not taking proper precautions. 

We ended the call early since I had to work the next day, but we continued texting for another hour still. I wished I could be in his warm and inviting bed wrapped in his arms, instead of in my lonely bed. Eventually I was able to sleep.

The next day at work was a blur. Thankfully staying busy kept me distracted and made the day go fast. Two o’clock came sooner than I expected. Sidney was waiting outside, leaning against his car. I ran towards him and jumped in his waiting arms, kissing him passionately. “I thought two o’clock would never come,” he said. 

“Thankfully for me, I was able to keep busy.”

“I had to sit at home and be bored all morning while I waited for you.”

“Sidney Parker bored?” I teased causing him to laugh.

“Everything is boring without you,” he said sweetly. Everything this man said and did was causing me to fall more and more in love with him. I couldn’t imagine a day without seeing him. It was hard for me to believe I was actually falling in love with him. I don’t think I’d ever been in love with anyone. Of course, I couldn’t tell him. I wasn’t about to say I loved him already and scare him away.

He put me down and opened the car door for me to get in. “Are you going to tell me where we are going?” I asked.

“It’s a surprise,” he said with a smirk. He reached for my hand, linking our fingers together.

“Why does everywhere we go have to be a surprise?” I asked. 

He laughed. “I guess I like surprising you.” 

“Good thing I like surprises,” I said with a giggle.   
We drove for quite a while, ending up in the country near the coastline. He pulled down a gravel road in the middle of nowhere. “Where are we going?” I asked.

“You’ll see.” 

The gravel road seemed to take us further and further into nowhere, until we finally came upon some sort of structure. He parked the car a distance away from whatever the structure was. From a distance it looked like a pile of old stones. We got out of the car and I noticed he had my camera in his hands. “Did you go to my apartment and get this from Clara?”

He handed it to me with a sparkle in his eyes. “Maybe,” he admitted. We walked hand in hand up the hill and down towards the ruins set at the clifftops overlooking the ocean. “What is this place?” I asked as more of the structure came into sight.

“It’s an old castle,” he explained. “My family owns this land. This has been here for hundreds of years.” We walked up into it and explored around the partial structure still standing. The stones perfectly fitted together to create walls were fascinating. Many of the stones were blackened from smoke or fire. I found myself taking photo after photo of nearly every room and wall that was left of the ruins. All around us was tall grass, cliffs, and the ocean below. The wind whipped through the weathered stones, causing an earie whistling sound. 

“This is really beautiful,” I said, looking out from what was left of one of the top towers. 

Sidney came up behind me and looped his arms around my waist from behind. I placed my hands over his and leaned back against his chest as we looked out at the ocean below. “Legend has it, this castle was owned by one of the richest and most powerful men in all the land. He gifted the castle to his one and only son. His son was set to marry a woman twice his age as a way to bring more power to the family. The son begged his father not to make him go through with the marriage as he had fallen in love with a poor famer’s daughter. They would meet here at the castle to be alone and I’m sure take pleasure in each other. When his betrothed found out about their secret rendezvous, she set out a plan. She set a trap sending a letter to this girl pretending to be the boy and asking her to meet him here. When the girl arrived, she was confronted by the betrothed and then pushed off a balcony.”

“How terrible,” I whispered.

“Later on, when the boy came to the castle, he found his love on the ground, dead from the fall. Instead of moving on and going through with the marriage like intended, he filled the castle with wood and set every room on fire. He locked himself in the highest tower with the body of the girl he loved and waited to die so he could be with her forever. It’s claimed that people have heard laughing and what sounds like noises of pleasure come from inside the castle.”

“What happened to his betrothed? Did she get caught for what she did?”

“No one ever knew what really happened except for the betrothed. The legend says she was so desperate to marry into this powerful family that she also murdered the boy’s mother so she could marry the boy’s father, which she did. Unfortunately, she went mad shortly after they wed. She threw herself off the cliffs and into the ocean. The story goes, she was haunted by the people she murdered. The ghosts of the girl and the mother pushed her to the edge of insanity until she committed suicide.”

“What a tragic love story,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I can’t imagine anyone wanting to die for someone they loved.”

“I’d die for you,” he whispered against my ear. I turned in his arms, seeing the pureness and truth to his words written across his face. He was practically admitting he loved me without actually saying the words. I wasn’t sure what to say or how to react. The only thing I could think about was kissing him. I leaned up and met his lips with mine for a soft, sensual, and meaningful kiss. He pulled me close as the wind swirled around us. The warmth of his body enticing me. 

I lowered to the floor, bringing him with me as we continued to kiss. The stone floor was cold and hard, but I didn’t care. He hovered above me as I started to undo his belt and unbutton his pants. “Are you sure?” he asked breathlessly, watching me intently.

I nodded my head and kissed him again, letting our tongues explore each other’s mouths. I awkwardly tried to remove my pants, struggling to get them past my knees. Sidney chuckled against my mouth before sitting up and helping me. He slowly pulled one leg at a time out of my pants before removing my panties. His hand ran down the inside of my leg while he stared into my eyes intently. I shivered from the cold wind rushing through us. He scooped me up in his arms and pulled me into his lap. 

“I don’t want you on the cold floor,” he whispered. “I want you to be warm in my arms forever.”

Every word out of his mouth made me fall deeper and deeper in love with him. I wanted to tell him just how much I loved him, but I was afraid to say the words out loud. The only thing I could do was show him with my actions. I kissed him hard and full of passion, twisting my fingers in his hair at the base of his neck. He moaned against my mouth, holding me tightly against his body. He trailed kisses along my jaw while I adjusted my seat in his lap. He chest heaved with heavy breathing as I settled in around his cock, taking him inside of me as fully as possible. His head fell back against the stone wall as his mouth hung open and his eyes closed. Soft moans left his lungs as I began to rock my hips against his. I caressed his face as I slid up and down his cock, letting the intensity between us build. 

“Charlotte,” he whispered, letting my name hang on his tongue as is he had more to say, but didn’t. He tightened his arms around me. His soft moans escalated into growls of pleasure as his fingers kneaded into my back. I closed my eyes, focusing on our connection and finding the rhythm I found satisfying. I let my head fall back as I gasped for air, finding the building tension between us consuming every fiber of my body. A gust of wind hit my face just as I climaxed. Overwhelmed by the powerful rush of pleasure, I loudly cried out his name over and over. 

He grabbed my face with his hands and pulled me to his warm lips, consuming my mouth with his eager and hungry lips. I whimpered against his mouth as I came down from the high he had taken me to. Pleasurable moans, once again, left his lungs as he settled me against his chest, wrapping his strong and warm arms around me. I wasn’t cold anymore, but the heat coming off his body was inviting. 

His lips brushed across the top of my head as he sighed contently. We sat in each other’s arms for the rest of the afternoon and watched the sun settle at the base of the water. 

He had grown to know me so well in such a short time, that he knew I’d find the beauty and enchantment in this old pile of stone. I had every intention of having him bring me back here many times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a huge shout out to @Sidlotte2 on Twitter for literally creating the calendar for all of us. The photoshopped pictures of all 10 guys will be posted on Twitter and in the Sanditon Survival Book Club group on Facebook. If only this was a real calendar...
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading my stories and giving me such great inspiration and ideas. I appreciate all the kudos and comments so much. I'm terrible at responding, but I'm trying to get better at that. I'm sorry if you were hoping for a response back and I didn't get to it. All of you are absolutely amazing and I'm so proud to be a part of this wonderful fandom.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long delay on this story. This chapter has been done for a while but there was a scene I didn't care for and really felt like I needed to change it. I sat on it for a few days, attempted to rewrite it a few dozen times, and finally it all started to come together. I hope you all like this version. I know I do. 
> 
> I will be away for a few day, taking a small needed vacation with my family. I can't imagine I won't write a little while on vacation, but I might not get a whole lot done. I will do my best to have another chapter up next weekend.

I stayed the night with Sidney, but unfortunately had to get up and go to work the next day. I truly contemplated calling in sick but felt bad even thinking about it since it was the busy shopping season. It was a long day as well, making it so much worse. I found myself counting down the minutes until I got off work so I could go back to Sidney’s house. 

When I finally got off work, I stopped at a local pizza place and grabbed a pizza to bring over for dinner like I said I would. I pulled my car in front of his house and slowly gathered up my stuff before getting out and walking up the path to the front door. Before I could even knock, the door burst open. Sidney grabbed my face with his hands, kissing me fervently on his doorstep. I giggled against his lips as I stepped through the door. He reached out and slammed the door shut behind me as his lips continued to move against mine with urgency. 

“At last!” he whispered against my mouth. “It’s been torture waiting for you.”

I laughed and leaned into him. “Do you want to eat first?” I asked.

“No,” he said, meeting my lips with his again. He grabbed the pizza box from my hands and tossed it on the table. He took my bag off my shoulder and dropped it to the floor. With one swift move, he picked me up and wrapped me around his hips. I held his face in my hands as we continued to kiss eagerly. He stumbled down the hall, trying to make his way to the bedroom. 

We fell on the bed together and continued to kiss passionately. We stopped just long enough to remove the barriers of clothing, before we met again for burning kisses. He hovered over me and lifted both arms above my head, pinning them down. I watched him intently as he stared down at me with a fire in his eyes. “I want to make you come over and over again tonight. I want to taste your sweet juices and let them drip down my chin. I want to feel your pussy tighten around my fingers and my cock. I don’t want you to walk tomorrow after what I have planned for tonight.” I almost came just hearing his sultry voice tell me all the things he planned to do to me. I arched my hips feeling his large, hard cock between my legs. I wanted everything he was planning.

“Yes!” I whimpered, trying to find my breath. I met his mouth with mine once again with a forceful and passionate kiss. He trailed kisses down my chin and along my neck, causing me to lose focus on everything around me but him. He continued to trail kisses across my body, down to my breasts, where he gently bit my nipple and swirled it between his teeth. The sensation caused such a fury in me, that I moaned loudly. He was so turned on by what I did that he bit down on the other nipple the same way and brushed the tip of his tongue against it. “Sidney!” I whispered, grabbing his head and forcing him down on my nipple again. He took his time tasting and biting at my skin before he made his way between my legs. I was so eager for what was to come, I could hardly control the cries of passion coming from my lungs. Everything inside of me was already on fire, ready and eager for what was to come. He stood up at the end of the bed and pulled my body towards him. 

I once again whimpered at what this man could do to me. I felt as if everything inside of me was pulsating with anticipation. He kneeled down at the end of the bed and draped my legs over his shoulders. He gripped my thighs with his hands and pulled me closer to him where I was hanging over the edge of the bed. He went right to work sucking my clit between his lips and swirling his tongue around the soft bud. He moaned with pleasure as he tasted me and licked across my slit. His soft tongue sliding up and down my folds and across my clit felt like heaven. I had to close my eyes and grip his hair in my fists as the orgasm started to build. I was on the edge of losing all control, which only stirred him more. My hips rocked into his mouth and soft moans left my lips as he continued to work his tongue up and down my slit. When the orgasm exploded inside of me, I yelled out loudly and pulled his hair just a little too hard. 

He hummed pleasantly as he continued to taste me. “Your cum is so incredibly sweet. I can’t get enough of it,” he said in a sultry and sexy voice only stirring me once again. He worked my throbbing clit with his fingers, causing me to whimper even more. I arched into him, wanting nothing more than to feel the powerful orgasm this man induced in me again. I released his head and gripped the sheets in my fists instead, as I sat up on my elbows. I wanted to watch him stir me again. He grabbed one of my hands and took two of my fingers, placing them in his mouth and sucking on them for a moment. The whimpers leaving my lungs while I watched him were uncontrollable. He placed my fingers on my clit and gently moved my fingers across it. “That’s it,” he said. “Give yourself pleasure while I watch.” I worked my fingers across my clit, enjoying the sensation, but realizing it was nothing like what Sidney could do. I wanted to have pleasure for him though. I wanted him to watch me come. I closed my eyes and focused on playing with my clit and rolling the bud between my fingers, pretending it was Sidney who was provoking the orgasm. When I felt his fingers slip inside of me, I knew I didn’t have to pretend anymore. I opened my eyes and met his with an overwhelming feeling of need. His mouth hung open as he watched me work at my clit even more fervently. His fingers stroked the inside walls, causing such a frenzy inside of me. His face was full of pleased expressions. I was falling apart right in front of him and he was loving every moment of it. I fell back against the bed and writhed in the sheets as another fiery orgasm hit me. “God, you’re so beautiful when you come. I could watch you do this all night.”

I was already exhausted, but the thought of all night thrilled me. I grinned excitedly and sat up to look at him. “Can I make you come now?” I asked, excited for what I was about to do. 

He had a wicked grin on his face as the realization of what I was suggesting hit him. “What did you have in mind?” he asked. 

I grinned and sat up on the edge of the bed, licking my lips. I took his hands and gestured for him to stand up. The expression on his face was part excitement and part lust. My eyes focused on his for a moment as I settled between his legs and pulled him closer to me. I kept my eyes focused on his as I swirled my tongue around his tip. His hips rocked as I continued. Soft moans left his lungs when I took his cock in my hand and really took my time to work on the tip with my tongue. When I took him fully in my mouth, he about fell over from the sensation. Suddenly those soft moans had turned urgent and loud. I was internally smiling at what I could do to him. He placed his hands at the back of my head to steady himself as I slid my lips up and down his cock, letting my tongue glide across the tip before slipping him further into my mouth. The tension he was building was noticeable, which only encouraged me to keep going. I moaned loudly and pleasantly and glanced up at his face with hooded eyes. When our eyes met, his mouth opened widely with choked cries leaving his lungs. His head fell forward and his hips pressed into my mouth, shooting hot cum at the back of my throat. I swallowed as quickly as I could and continued swirling my tongue around his tip, lapping up every last drop of cum. 

“You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met,” he breathed. I grinned up at him, feeling really proud of myself for what I had done to him. He sat down on the bed next to me, looking just a little spent. I sat up on my knees and began kissing his neck, his chin, his shoulder, his back, and biting at his ear. What I was doing only stirred him again. My fingers gently trailed from his chest down his stomach until resting on his cock, which was hard once again. While I continued to kiss his body, I climbed into his lap and wrapped my legs around his torso. His large hands rested at my hips. I stopped kissing him long enough to watch his face as I slipped around his cock. A smile spread across my face and a soft moan escaped my lips. He laid back against the bed with a grin on his face while I grinded my hips against his with urgency. 

I closed my eyes and rose my head towards the ceiling as I rode him hard and quick. I suddenly felt his fingers slip in between us and start to rub my clit. I was gone at that moment. Loud cries of ecstasy left my lungs. I had lost all control and was spinning into oblivion as the orgasm filled my senses.

He sat up and rolled me over onto my back. I whimpered, already entirely exhausted, but desperately wanting more. He sat up on his knees and pulled the bottom half of my body towards him to meet his hips. He threw one leg over his shoulder and the other I used to support myself in the awkward position. He held my hips roughly between his hands and used all his force to lunge my body towards him and thrust into me with force. I winced a few times at how forceful and rough it was. Yet, I loved every minute of it. Uncontrollable cries of passion filled the air from both of us as more and more pleasure built, and orgasms completed us. 

I watched him intently, enjoying the expressions of pleasure across his face. He slowed his movements and released my hips. His breathing was still heavy and erratic as he came down from the high. He took a deep breath in through his nose and let it out slowly through his mouth. “The things you can do to me are amazing.” A soft moan escaped my lungs as I grinned at him. If he only knew he did the same things to me. Although, I think he knew.

After what seemed like hours of sexual gratification, we laid next to each other on the bed entirely exhausted and breathless. “Are you hungry?” he asked causing me to laugh. 

“I suppose we should eat something.” 

He rolled off the bed and went into the other room, returning with two water bottles and the pizza I had picked up on my way over. I sat up on the bed, taking a cleansing breath. Sidney crawled on the bed next to me and opened the box. We both grabbed a piece of the cold pizza and ate quietly. Eating didn’t seem to really sit well with me, so I only ate a few bites before throwing the half-eaten piece of pizza back in the box. I did drink nearly all the water, feeling entirely dehydrated after our activities.

Sidney ended up eating three slices before he rested back against the headboard and pulled me into his arms. 

“I want you to know, I did what I said I was going to do. First thing this morning, I called the bank and closed mine and Eliza’s joint account, I had her cell service cancelled, I called every company I could think of and took my name off of all of them.”

“I’m sure it was hard to do,” I said trying to be supportive. 

“No. It was actually quite easy. I’m not sure why I didn’t do it sooner. It’s like this huge weight has been lifted off my chest. Eliza is going to throw a huge fit when she finds out, but I don’t even care. I’m actually sort of looking forward to her having a dose of reality.”

“Aren’t you devious,” I teased. “Remind me never to cross you.”

He laughed and shook his head. “I can’t see that happening.”

“You never know. There’s things you don’t know about me yet,” I reminded.

“I’m looking forward to learning everything about you,” he said in his deep sultry voice. He kissed my forehead and tightened his hold around my shoulders. Slowly we sunk into the pillows wrapped in each other’s arms and fell asleep.

Deep in the night, I woke up to a terrible dream. Soft cries escaped me lungs at the thought of it. I dreamt Sidney was burning in a fire and I just stood there and watched it happen. He cried out for me to save him, but a powerful force held me back from being able to do anything but watch. Reliving the dream over and over in my head, made it impossible to go back to sleep. I very carefully slipped out from under Sidney’s hold and put on his shirt that I had found lying on the ground. I tiptoed out of the room and walked into the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. I was hopeful it would help me calm down and get the horrible vision of Sidney in the fire out of my head. 

Once the tea was done, I stood at the counter and slowly sipped at the hot liquid, feeling more relaxed with every drink. As I took another sip, Sidney’s arms circled around me from behind. He leaned into me and kissed my neck. “Are you alright?” he asked.

I nodded my head and placed the cup on the counter. “Just having a hard time sleeping. I thought some tea might help relax me.”

“Do you need some help relaxing?” he asked seductively against my ear.

I smiled at the sultry tone of his voice and turned in his arms. He wore only a pair of pajama bottoms, exposing his toned chest. I placed my hands against his chest before raising my eyes to meet his. “What did you have in mind?” I asked.

He grinned excitedly. “I did say you wouldn’t be able to walk by morning and here you are standing in my kitchen. I think I need to remedy that.”

I moaned and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Please do,” I whispered. He kissed me hard, lifting me into his arms and wrapping me around him. 

As he started to make his way to the bedroom, there was a large pounding on the door that startled both of us. He placed me back on my feet as we both stared at the door. “Who could that be?” I asked.

“I have no idea,” he answered. He started to walk towards the door, and I whispered for him to be careful. The pounding continued, scaring me even more.

Sidney looked through the peep hole then groaned with annoyance. He unlocked the door and opened it. “What do you want?” he said angrily.

I walked towards him when I heard a woman’s voice begin yelling at him. “What do I want?” she yelled. “I want to know why my phone is shut off, why my credit cards don’t work, why I don’t have access to my bank account anymore. What the hell is going on, Sidney?”

I placed me hand on Sidney’s arm and stood at his side. I got my first glimpse of Eliza in person. She wasn’t as pretty as I thought she was in real life. All those filters she used made her look more appealing.

Her eyes scanned across me as if she was measuring me up for a fight. 

“We broke up, remember. It’s time you start learning how to live without me always taking care of you.”

“Taking care of me?” she shouted. “It is what you promised to always do. Did you forget that?”

I scoffed at her comment. She was ridiculous. How did Sidney ever fall for someone like her? 

“And who the hell might you be?” she asked, turning her attention towards me. 

“Charlotte,” I answered simply. 

“Oh,” she smirked. “The apparent new girlfriend. I’m sure you had something to do with this. Feeling threatened?”

I laughed amusingly. “What exactly would I be threatened of?”

She glared. “I’m sure you think you’ll just swoop in and take advantage of Sidney while you can.”

“Take advantage? Who exactly is taking advantage of him? I’m not the one still expecting him to support her after you broke up.”

“We were together for six years,” she argued. “I earned that right to expect him to support me.”

“Did you earn the right to cheat on him as well?” I asked.

“This is ridiculous,” she said, giving up on arguing with me since she wasn’t winning. She turned her attention back to Sidney. “You know I’m getting married soon. I need to pay the vendors and get alterations on my dress. I’ll need access to my credit cards immediately. I am not about to let some insignificant new play-thing come between the arrangement we had.”

“She had nothing to do with this,” Sidney snapped. “I made the decision to cut you off.”

“You can’t just cut me off without warning. We had an agreement. How am I supposed to live?” she asked. “It's not like I have an income. I’ve been supported by you for years. What am I supposed to do?”

I had enough of her. My big mouth couldn’t hold back any longer. “Perhaps you could learn how to be a decent human being and not bite the hand that feeds you. Good luck! I’m fairly certain you’ll need it.” I slammed the door in her face. On the other side of the door, she shouted loudly that we would be sorry. I thought her threat was rather funny. How on earth were we going to be sorry?

“Are you alright?” he asked, gently rubbing my arms and looking me over with great concern.

I smiled to reassure him. “I’m fine. Are you alright?” I asked. 

He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “Not really. She has pretty much ruined the mood. She’s good at ruining lots of things.”

I laughed and leaned up to give him a gentle kiss. “It’s alright. I’m sort of tired anyway. And you need to work in the morning. You should be sleeping also.”

He took my hand and led me back to the bedroom where he pulled me into the bed and held me tightly to his chest. I was entirely relaxed being in his arms, but the overwhelming feelings I was having from the dream and then Eliza showing up made it impossible to sleep. 

“You seem upset,” he whispered. 

I closed my eyes and tried to shake away the thoughts swirling in my head. “I’ll be fine.”

“Something is not alright. Is it because of Eliza?”

“No,” I scoffed. “I just had a bad dream. It’s nothing to worry yourself with.” I rested my chin on his chest so I could see his face. “You should get some sleep.”

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and gently rubbed his thumb across my cheek. “I won’t be able to sleep until I know you’re alright. Do you want to talk about the dream?”

I shook my head, knowing full well I couldn’t tell him about the dream. He would be hurt and probably disgusted with me to know I was having dreams about him dying. “It’s nothing. I’ll be fine.” I leaned up and gave him a quick kiss before settling in and trying my best to go back to sleep.

In the morning, we barely spoke while we got ready for the day. Sidney gave me a simple kiss goodbye before he went to work, while I headed home to get ready for a photoshoot I was doing later that afternoon. 

I walked into the apartment I shared with Clara and dropped my bag on the table.

“How are things going in fireman world?” Clara asked in between bites of her breakfast. 

I broke down crying and fell to the couch next to her. She wrapped her arms around me to try and comfort me while I was unable to say anything. Uncontrollable sobs came spilling out of me. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to stop. 

“Did he break up with you?” she asked.

I shook my head and tried desperately to get ahold of myself. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I had a terrible dream last night where he was burning alive and there was nothing I could do to save him. I just stood there and watched. What kind of a horrible person am I to imagine her boyfriend is dying in a fire?”

“You aren’t a horrible person, Charlotte,” she assured. “I don’t think the dream had anything to do with you wishing for him to die. I think it’s quite the opposite. He has a very dangerous career and everyday he puts his life on the line to help others. I think you’re terrified of losing him because you’re in love with him.”

Fresh tears fell from my eyes. “I do love him. I’ve never felt the way I do about him with anyone else. And to be honest it’s terrifying,” I admitted.

“What’s so terrifying about falling in love?”

“What if he doesn’t love me back? What if it’s too soon?”

“I see the way he looks at you. He’s absolutely in love with you. There’s no denying that. I don’t think there’s a person on the planet who wouldn’t be able to see it.”

I wiped my tears away feeling a little bit better. “His ex showed up at the house last night,” I said. I needed someone to talk to about the way I was feeling about her. 

She gave me a disgusted look. “How did that go?”

“Sidney barely said anything to her. He didn’t tell her to leave. He didn’t argue his reason for cutting her off. He didn’t even defend me when she started degrading me. I had to step in and tell her to get lost. What if he still has feelings for her and can’t let her go yet?”

“I think you are overwhelmed with a lot of emotions right now,” Clara said. “You’ve never been in love, Charlotte. Everything is hitting you really hard and really fast. You need to take a break and focus on you right now.”

“Are you saying I should break up with him?” I asked.

“No,” she laughed. “I’m saying take today to take care of you. Do something that makes you happy and helps you regain focus. For me, and most of the population, that’s a day at the spa or a day of retail therapy. For you, I imagine that’s a day out in nature taking pictures.” I laughed because she was entirely correct on her observation. I would rather be out in nature. 

I did as she said and cancelled my afternoon photo session. I decided to go for a drive and get some clarity. There was only one place I could think of going. It was a new place, but it brought me a lot of peace and that’s what I needed. I remembered exactly how to get to the castle Sidney had taken me to. I spent all day exploring it further and sitting quietly as I watched the waves splash against the rocks and listened to the wind whistling through the castle walls. 

I thought a lot about Sidney and where we were in our relationship. We hadn’t been together for long, but he was more important to me than anyone else. His words from when we were last here played in my mind. Would he truly die for me? Whether he was just saying it or not, I knew for sure I would run into a fire to save him unlike in my dream where I stood by and watched. 

I spent most of the day there and explored further around the property than Sidney and I had the day before. In the late afternoon, I headed back to my car. Once I was back in town and had cell service, my phone started buzzing repeatedly indicating I had missed calls. I had a feeling it was Sidney. Instead of going straight home to call him, I decided to stop at the fire station to see him in person. It was already dark outside when I pulled up in front of the fire station. But the lights coming from the building illuminated everything nearby.

When I got out of my car, I noticed Eliza coming out of the building. An anger built inside of me when I saw her. She walked past me with a cunning expression on her face. “Can’t leave him be even while he’s at work, Charlotte?” she accused.

The anger I was feeling built inside of me even more. “Why exactly are you here?” I asked, trying to take the accusation of me and put it back on her. I couldn’t imagine she was welcome after the way everyone talked about her. 

She grinned deviously. “Sidney and I have unfinished business. It’s truly none of your concern.”

“If it involves Sidney, it involves me,” I retorted

She laughed and shook her head. “I’m sure you believe it is. I’m sure you also believe he might even love you. The truth is, he will never love you, not truly. You will always come second to him.”

I glared at her and gritted my teeth. I wanted to punch her in her sly little face. “I assume you think you’re his number one?” I asked.

She laughed again. “Aren’t you a sweet thing. No, honey. You will always be second to his career. Being a fireman will always come first. It’s better you find that out now before you fall too deep. I know from personal experience just how charming he can be in the beginning. Then things will change, and you will become just another nuisance in his life. I still don’t know why I gave him six years of my life. Like most women, I suppose I thought I could change him. Keep that in mind.”

She sauntered off towards her car and left. I was still angry. I didn’t want to believe anything she said. Yet a part of me still questioned the truth in her warning. 

When I turned around to head into the station, I noticed Sidney standing not far from me listening to the entire exchange between us. 

I sighed and dropped my shoulders. He slowly walked towards me with his head down. He didn’t look at me until he stopped mere steps away from me. His face was pained and confused. “You haven’t answered your phone all day. I was ready to leave work to go find you.”

“I’m sorry. I was in a place that didn’t get cell service.”

“Why does it feel like you’re avoiding me? Did you come here to break up with me?” he asked.

“No,” I assured. “No. Quite the opposite. But now I don’t know what to think. Why was Eliza here?” I swallowed against the lump in my throat. “Did you invite her here?” 

He sighed and tried to take a step towards me, but I stepped away from him. “It’s not like I invited her here because I wanted to see her. I asked her to come so I could get her signature on some forms. I’m trying to take my name off the house that she lives in. I thought it would be wiser to ask her to come here where there were plenty of witnesses instead of asking her to come to my house.”

“But you didn’t tell me you were doing any of this,” I said.

“Charlotte,” he said, attempting to take another step towards me.

I stepped away and hid my face as a couple tears fell down my cheeks. “Were you planning to tell me at all?”

“I don’t know,” he breathed. “I didn’t want to upset you. It was honestly just to get her signature. You can ask anyone here. They will all tell you the same thing.”

“Did she sign the papers?” I asked. “Are you free from her now?”

He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “No. She refused to sign them. She knows if my name is on the house, I have to pay for it. If I take my name off, she has to figure it out on her own. No amount of begging, pleading, or bribing worked. I will have to take her to court, which I really don’t want to do. It’ll take months to process and lots of legal fees. But I have every intention to do it. I’m going to rid my life from her completely.”

I nodded my head but was still struggling with all the thoughts swirling in my head.

“Can you tell me why you’re avoiding me now?” he asked.

“I’m not. I truly was in a place that didn’t have cell service.”

“Then what’s going on. Since last night everything between us seems so distant. I don’t believe it’s just because of Eliza. There is something more to this.”

I took a deep breath and relayed the dream to him. I spoke of my insecurities about his involvement with Eliza and how he stood back and allowed her to walk all over him and me. I told him how his job terrified me, and how I worry about his safety constantly. The more the words spewed out of my mouth, the more I regretted ever opening it. The look on his face was pure sadness. I couldn't imagine him wanting to be with me anymore after hearing everything I just said.

“Thank you for being honest. Now I know what I need to work on,” he said. “Please believe me when I say I will do everything in my power to make you happy.”

I nodded my head and started to cry. I was unable to hold back the tears any longer. He pulled me to his chest and surrounded me in strong, supportive arms. He rocked me back and forth, just holding me and taking care of me while I broke down crying. When I finally felt better and wasn’t crying as much anymore, he walked me into the station and brought me into the garage area. I hadn’t been in there since the night where everything happened; where I was sucked into a relationship I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready for. 

He helped me up into the firetruck where he sat in one of the back seats and pulled me into his lap. Being inside blocked out all other sounds around us helping us feel alone.

“I want you to spend Christmas with me. I want you to meet my family,” he said tightening his arms around me.

“You do?” I asked shockingly.

“Yeah. Unless, of course, you plan to go home to your family for Christmas. I’m sure my family will be willing to wait a day or two to celebrate so you can be there. We are sort of used to celebrating on a different day, since typically one of us always has to work at the station on Christmas.”

“I don’t plan to go home for Christmas. I usually don’t.”

“Why not?” he asked.

“It’s a long story.”

“We have time,” he pointed out.

I sighed and ducked my head, so my gaze was diverted from his. “I told you there were things you didn’t know about me.”

“And I remember telling you I wanted to know everything.”

I sighed again trying to find the way to tell him the story. “When I was eighteen, my parents were literally forcing me to marry a man I didn’t love. He was a rich man who owned lots of property in our hometown. For whatever reason, he took interest in me and wanted to marry me. I barely knew him, but my parents accepted his proposal without even discussing it with me first. They insisted he was the perfect man for me, and they were sure I would grow to love him. It didn’t matter that he was nearly twenty years older than me. They tried to convince me that I was doing the right thing for my family. I’m the eldest of twelve and we struggled financially all my life. This was the way to get us out of debt and into a better lifestyle. They said it was my duty to help the family. I begged them not to make me go through with it, but they wouldn’t listen. So, one night, I packed up all I could in a couple duffle bags and snuck out. Clara picked me up and we both escaped lives we didn’t wish to live anymore. Clara’s story is much more tragic than mine, but I won’t go into details as it’s hers to share. My parents resented me for abandoning the family. This man tried to convince me to come back and promised me everything under the sun. I refused. Clara and I have been here trying to survive on our own ever since. “We’ve done a fairly good job so far.”

“I can’t believe your parents were actually forcing you to marry someone. I didn’t know that sort of thing still happened.”

“Unfortunately, I think it happens more than you think.”

“Do you still talk to your family?” he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders and sort of shook my head. “On occasion. It’s not like it used to be though. I used to be really close to all of them, especially my sister. After I left, my parents tried to marry my sister off to this man. Thankfully, he wasn’t interested in my sister. But the whole situation of the possibility that she might have to take my place in marrying him, only made her resent me for leaving. I think she was upset I left without her. If I could go back, I would have taken her with me. At the time though, I was more worried about my own safety. I couldn’t possibly take care of my sister also.”

“I’m sure you must have been terrified. Either scenario sounds difficult to navigate. I’m glad you chose the path you did though. Even if no one else is proud of you for what you did, I am.”

“My parents aren’t bad people,” I retorted. “They were incredibly loving and supportive to all of us growing up. But the potential of money does wicked things to people.”

“Now I understand why you don’t want anything to do with my money. You’re right. Money does do wicked things to people. It makes them do things they never would have done before.”

“My parents are going to love you, simply because you have money attached to your name. But I don’t want them to look at you as money. I want them to love you because I love you,” I said. The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted it. I wasn’t intending to tell him I loved him. I was sure he was going to panic. “I mean… That’s not what I meant. I didn’t mean to say...”

“Don’t tell them,” he interrupted.

“What?”

“Don’t tell them I come from money. Let me charm them my own way. I want them to love me simply because I’m in love with their daughter,” he admitted, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

Happy tears filled my eyes. “You are?” I said softly.

“Yes. I thought it was rather obvious. I’m in love with you, Charlotte. I’ve never felt this kind of deep emotional connection with someone else before. This is why I want you to come spend Christmas with my family. I want all of them to know the woman I love. Half of my family already loves you. But the other half will love you too, simply because I love you.” 

I was overwhelmed with happiness. I met his lips with mine for a passionate kiss, trying desperately to show him just how much I loved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to all of you who read my stories and leave such wonderful comments and give kudos. So many of you have stuck with me from the very beginning and read every single story I've written so far. I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for all of you. Thank you for all of your constant support.
> 
> I have no intention of stopping and have quite a few new Sidlotte stories planned for the future.


	7. Chapter 7

A week had gone by since I opened up to Sidney. I was thankful he was so understanding of my fears and my insecurities. He seemed to truly take them seriously and try to find ways to prove not only his love for me, but his willingness to give up anything for me.

Sidney took off a whole week from work, which caused me a lot of guilt. I felt horrible for making him feel like he couldn’t do what he loves. I realized a lot of my insecurities were my own issues, not necessarily because of anything Sidney was doing. He was changing his entire life around to accommodate me. I had to keep reminding myself of this fact to ease my concern.

Most of the week he had off, I had to work, which really sucked, and I truly considered quitting nearly every day. But I didn’t. He spent most of that time working on how to rid himself from Eliza for good. He did talk to a lawyer about what to do with the house. He wanted to go the kind route and give Eliza the opportunity to put the house in her name. She refused. Thankfully, there was a way out. Sidney listed the house for sale and sent her a certified letter letting her know the house was for sale and she would need to vacate. Of course, she blew up at Sidney again calling him repeatedly and telling him what a horrible person he was. With every phone call, I could see the way her words affected him. At my insistence, he stopped answering the phone when she called. 

I found out a little more about her fiancé as well. Sidney didn’t know a lot about him, but what he did know is that the guy wasn’t poor. He had his share of money and was more than capable of taking care of Eliza himself. The problem was he didn’t like spending money. He never gave Eliza anything and was more than happy to allow Sidney to support her, so he didn’t have to. It was an entirely messed up situation. Eliza went from one extreme to the next. One guy gave her everything while the other gave her nothing. I found it strange that she chose the latter to marry. But I guess I should be thankful for who she chose.

At the end of the week, the calendars returned from the printers and I was able to bring them in to show everyone the finished product. Working at a bookstore came in handy. My boss allowed me to sell them at the store and we also tried promoting them all over town. In just a day, we had already sold plenty. I was super proud of what I had created and for what it was for.

The morning Sidney had to go back to work, I could feel the excitement coming off of him. I felt even more guilty for being the cause of him taking time off. I had to start dealing with my own insecurities and not put them in him. As he drove me home early that morning, he took a wrong turn as if he was continuing his way towards the station.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

He grinned and turned in my direction. “You said you worry about my safety when I’m at work. Well, today you get to go to work with me. You’ll ride along to every call we get and see what it is I actually do every day. You obviously won’t be allowed anywhere near the action, but you’ll get to see firsthand what I do.”

“Is this sort of thing allowed?” I asked.

“If it wasn’t allowed would I let you go?” he countered, reaching over and taking my hand in his. “I want you to see what I do.” 

I took a deep breath and nodded my head. A part of me was terrified, but another part of me was excited. I glanced in the back seat thankful I had grabbed my camera from his house. I had begun to leave things at his house for when I was there. I was afraid to at first. I didn’t want him to think I was trying to move in, but it got difficult to pack stuff every few days. At first it was just a toothbrush, then a hairbrush, then a pair of shoes and a sweater. I was a little surprised when a new dresser showed up in his bedroom and he told me it was for me to put my stuff in. I didn’t think he had noticed I was leaving things, but he did, and he was fine with it. He also had a key made for me so I could come and go as I pleased. I didn’t think I’d ever go there without him, but it was sweet that he wanted me to fully be a part of his life. 

We pulled into the station and walked in hand in hand. He seemed extremely happy to be back as was everyone else to see him back. Throughout the morning, I stayed right next to Sidney as he did paperwork, did inventory on supplies, cleaned the station, then cleaned the trucks. He gave me a grin as some of the other guys came into the garage and started to put their gear on. They weren’t doing it quickly as if they were going on a call and I never heard the alarm go off. “You came on a good day. We are on our way to the school we are helping to give the kids a demonstration and talk fire safety,” Sidney explained. 

I was excited to see firsthand who we were helping with the calendars. 

Sidney put his gear on and loaded the truck. I was buckled into a seat next to him as we headed off to the school. The children jumped up and down when the large, red, firetruck pulled up in front of their school. I could see teachers trying to contain their excitement. 

Sidney and the guys hopped out in full gear as amazed children stared with wide eyes. Sidney helped me down and I stood towards the back so I wasn’t in the way.

“Good morning, children,” Tom greeted. The other men lined up next to him and took off their helmets to look a little less intimidating. Tom began to talk about what they do, about proper fire safety, then started talking about things on the truck and what they wear for safety when they go to put out a fire. Sidney got to take the hose out and spray it so the kids could see how it worked. One by one the kids got to come up and hold the hose while Sidney showed them how difficult it was to keep steady. Then the kids all got to climb up into the truck and look around. Sidney helped lift little ones up into the truck. He laughed and talked with each of them so thoughtfully. He answered questions and helped even the most intimidated children feel comfortable. I stood back and took pictures of all of them, documenting just how special all of them were for what they were doing for these kids. 

“Who’s she?” one kid asked, pointing at me. All the other kids turned in my direction and stared. 

“That’s Charlotte!” a little girl shouted. I didn’t know this little girl, but she seemed to know me.

“Thanks, Jenny,” Sidney said. “This is Charlotte. She’s our… photographer.”

“What’s a photogapher?” a little boy asked.

“A photographer,” I corrected. “I take pictures with a camera.”

“What for?” another asked.

I shrugged my shoulders and gave Sidney a glance. “To document events. I take pictures of all kinds of things, including firemen. I’ve probably even taken pictures of some of you as you’ve grown over the years.” I started to wonder if that little girl who knew me was someone I had taken photos of before. How else would she know me? Although, Sidney seemed to know her also.

“Alright children, what do we say to our guests?” a teacher called out.

“Thank you,” they all said in unison.

As the kids started lining up to go back into the school, Tom honked the horn a few times, which caused the kids to squeal and laugh with joy. 

I walked over to Sidney and gave him a smile. “This was fun,” I said. 

“The day has just begun.”

“How did that little girl know my name?” I asked. “You seemed to know her also.”

He laughed. “That was my niece. She’s one of Tom’s daughters.”

“How does she know me?”

“I’m sure she’s probably seen a picture of you or something. She’s very conscious of what’s going on around her. She always has been. Tom and Mary have to be very careful about what they say in front of her.” He laughed as if he was thinking about a specific incident. “Especially around Christmas. She always figures out what she’s getting.”

“Will I be meeting Tom and Mary’s children at Christmas?” I asked. 

Sidney smiled as if he was proud of the fact that I planned to join him for his family Christmas. “You will. And my sister, Diana will be coming home with her first child.”

“You seem rather natural with kids,” I pointed out. “I was watching how you spoke with each one and helped some who were shy feel more comfortable.”

“I’ve had a lot of practice,” he explained. “Tom and Mary have four kids. Probably not quite as much practice as you have, given you grew up with so many younger siblings.”

“It’s been forever since I’ve spent any time with them. I miss all of them.”

“Maybe it’s time you finally visit and try to put the past behind all of you,” he suggested.

I sighed. “You’re probably right. I guess I’m just afraid what might happen. I still sense that my parents are angry when I talk to them. Going back home is going to be a huge step in healing our relationships.”

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me gently on the forehead. “I’ll support you and stand by you with whatever you decide to do.”

I leaned into his chest and smiled at how lucky I was to have him in my life. I didn’t think it possible to love someone as much as I loved him.

“Are you lovebirds ready to go or are you planning to walk back?” Crowe asked. Sidney and I laughed and walked over to the truck to get in. 

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. They only got one call the entire day for a car accident, which seemed to disappoint Sidney. The accident wasn’t even that serious. We were only there maybe ten minutes before it was decided we weren’t needed. 

When we returned, everyone went about what they were doing before we left while Sidney and I stayed in the garage. I wasn’t sure why he pulled me back while everyone else headed back in. 

Once we were alone, he grinned excitedly. “What’s going on?” I asked.

“Since you’re learning about what I do, I think it’s only fitting that you put on the full uniform,” he explained. He held the pants out towards me waiting for me to take them. I grinned at him and took the pants from his hands, slipping both legs into the large pant legs. He wrapped the large coat around my shoulders so I could put my arms in. He secured the oversized coat in the front before placing his hat on top of my head. I felt silly being swallowed in the heavy uniform, but he looked at me with a wild grin on his face. 

“I look ridiculous,” I laughed, catching a glimpse of my reflection in the side mirror of the truck. 

He laughed. “No. You look rather sexy. I might need to bring this home for you to put on when we are alone.”

I bit my lip watching him take in the sight of me in his gear. His expression was ravenous as if he wasn’t going to be able to contain himself for much longer. “Maybe you should take a picture so you can hold on to the memory.”

“Excellent idea.” He took out his phone and snapped a few pictures. He grabbed an ax off the truck and handed to me before taking a few more. I laughed uncontrollably as the tables had been turned and it was now him taking the pictures of me attempting to be sexy in firemen gear. 

He walked towards me, satisfied with the photos he got, and pulled me into his arms. “Should I be worried about how this turns you on?” I asked.

“It’s perfectly normal,” he excused bashfully. 

“Is it?” I teased. He laughed before kissing me. I could tell he wanted more than just kissing, but I didn’t feel comfortable while he was on duty and I was there as his guest. That alarm was unpredictable. I couldn’t take any chances like the first time.

Sidney could tell I wasn’t going to let it go any further than kissing. I’m sure he was disappointed, but he never said anything. Once we stopped kissing, he helped me get out of his uniform and put it back in his locker. 

We walked into the common area and were greeted with food that Arthur had made for everyone. I sat at a table with Sidney while we ate and visited with some of the guys. Most of them only wanted to regale me with stories of Sidney in his rookie days. Sidney didn’t seem to mind though. He laughed along as they teased him and tried their best to get a rise out of him. 

I started to get tired as the night dragged on. Sidney offered to let me take his car home if I wanted to sleep, but I wanted to stay. He wanted me to know what he does, so I was going to stay through his entire shift. Around one in the morning, I had dozed off on Sidney’s shoulder and was awoken by the loud alarm going off. Sidney hopped into action and I followed behind. He tried to tell me I didn’t need to come if I was too tired, but I hopped in anyway and went with him. 

We were being called out in the middle of nowhere. A woman had gone into labor and was attempting to drive herself to the hospital. She realized she wasn’t going to make it and called for help. Even though an ambulance was dispatched, the firemen were sent out as well since they could get there quicker and assess the situation. 

I stood back and watched as Sidney talked to the woman who was screaming in pain. He did everything he could to calm her down and keep her comfortable. Most of the men who went on the call stood around and watched or directed traffic around the firetruck that now parked in the middle of the street. Sidney leaped into action and realized the baby was about to be born. Tom asked her so many questions that she didn’t seem to be able to answer. He asked her how far along she was? Did she have any medical conditions they needed to be aware of? Was the baby healthy as far as all prenatal testing could tell? Did she have someone she needed them to call? He asked who her doctor was and if she had chosen a pediatrician. She barely answered any of the questions. 

I held my breath as I stood by and watched as Sidney told the woman to push. She screamed and cried through the pushing and after only three pushes a baby emerged into Sidney’s waiting arms. He held the baby in his arms and looked him over for signs of distress. He called over to one of the guys to grab an oxygen mask and a warming blanket. The baby didn’t cry or move for the longest time as Sidney did everything he could to get the baby to breathe. Babington hopped in and did what he could to keep the woman calm as she watched on in horror. She kept screaming that her baby was dead. I felt tears stream down my face at the anguish this woman was going through. 

After what seemed like forever, the baby let out the tiniest sound and started to wiggle. A huge sigh of relief came over everyone around. In the distance, I could hear the ambulance approaching. 

“Your baby is just fine,” Sidney told the woman. “He’s a strong little guy and he’s got quite the grip.”

The woman stopped crying and reached for her baby. Sidney placed the baby in her arms and stepped back. I watched in amazement at what he had just done. Not only did he deliver a baby, he also brought that baby back from near death. How was it possible that he was so calm while I felt like my heart was about to burst out of my chest?

As the ambulance pulled away with the woman and baby inside, Sidney and the other guys got back in the truck and headed to the station. When we got back, Sidney went to the shower while I waited in the main room for him.

“I bet you didn’t know Sidney could deliver a baby, did you?” Crowe asked.

“I can’t say I did. It was pretty amazing though. Here I thought all of you just put out fires. I didn’t realize there was so much more that you do.”

He laughed. “Fires are just a small portion of what we do.”

“Are you alright?” Sidney asked from behind me. Crowe walked away, giving us a minute alone.

“That was intense. I didn’t know you could deliver a baby,” I said.

He sat down next to me and draped an arm over the back of the couch. “Firemen have to have a lot more training than a paramedic does. You won’t see a paramedic putting out a fire, but you will see a fireman doing what a paramedic does, just on a smaller scale.”

“You seemed so calm during the whole process like you’ve done it a thousand times. How many babies have you delivered?” I wondered.

“This was the third. I’ve been present for quite a few, but most of the time the paramedics arrive before an actual delivery.”

“You were amazing,” I said, gushing over how great he was. “I can’t even begin to tell you how in awe of you I am.”

He grinned and looked down as if he was embarrassed. “Does this mean you aren’t quite as terrified of what I do?”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far, but I’m starting to see just how capable you are. I should trust that you know what you’re doing.”

He nodded his head and rubbed my knee. “I’m glad you’re here tonight. I think it’s important for you to see what I do. It’s not just a job, it’s what I love.”

I nodded my head and smiled at him, understanding just what he meant. The alarm rang loudly and once again everyone jumped into action and ran to the truck. This time there really was a fire. Inside an abandoned building was a large fire blazing into the sky. The men quickly assessed the situation and started grabbing their gear and hoses to get to work. I was told to stay on the truck so I wasn’t in any danger or in the way, but I couldn’t help it. I had to get some pictures of the action and I wanted to see where Sidney was to make sure he was alright. I did stay back as much as I could, but I could feel the heat emanating off the building even from the distance I was standing. I couldn’t imagine what Sidney and the other men must have been feeling being as close as they were. 

I was able to take a couple photos of what was happening and watched in awe as they contained the fire from spreading to surrounding buildings. News crews and curious residents began to arrive as did police who began to block the area off. I got back in the truck, so I didn’t get in trouble for being there. 

“Excuse me!” A woman called out from the taped off area. I turned around to see who it was and saw a young woman with a camera in hand trying to get my attention. “I saw you taking pictures of the fire. Are you with a news station?”

“No,” I answered. “I’m just riding along with the firemen for the night. I’m a photographer and couldn’t help but take a few photos.” 

“Would you be interested in sharing them with the Sanditon Newspaper?” she asked, fidgeting through her bag to grab a business card. I hopped out of the truck and walked over to her. “My name is Phillida Beaufort and I’m a reporter for the newspaper. I’m not getting any good shots from this angle and would love to use a couple of yours if they are good enough.”

“Sure,” I said hesitantly, taking her card. 

“You can email the photos. I’d appreciate if you were able to send them as soon as possible, Miss...”

“Charlotte Heywood,” I answered. 

“Can I ask how you have clearance to be with the firemen, Charlotte Heywood?” she wondered.

“I helped these firemen create a calendar to sell for a fundraiser. Tonight, I got to ride with them and see what exactly they do.”

She wrote some things down on a small pad of paper. “Interesting. What’s the fundraiser for?” 

“There was a fire at the local school a while back. I’m sure you know about it.” She nodded her head to answer. “They are raising money to rebuild and buy new books. It’s looking to be a great success. We’ve sold plenty of calendars over the last couple days.”

“What a fantastic idea. Was it your idea for the calendars?” she wondered.

I laughed. “No. I was called up one day and asked if I would be willing to help them out.”

“I’m assuming you didn’t get paid for your services since it’s for charity?” she wondered.

“No. I got something much better than payment.”

“What might that be?” she asked.

“Charlotte!” Sidney called. I turned around and saw Sidney walking towards me. 

“Excuse me,” I said, walking away from the lady and heading over to Sidney. He was covered in ash and smoke. Sweat dripped down his face as he pulled his helmet off his head. 

“Why are you talking to reporters?” he asked. I glanced back at the woman who was watching us intently. 

“She wants to use a few of my photos for her article in the newspaper,” I explained. “How do you know she’s a reporter?” 

He chuckled. “It’s not the first time I’ve seen her at a call. There are a few that show up quite often when we are putting fires out.”

“Is it alright that I talk to her?” I asked.

“Just don’t give her any information about the fire. If you’re giving her photos that’s one thing, but we aren’t supposed to answer questions about how fires get started or if anyone was injured. We leave that up to the police and the investigators.”

“She seemed more interested in the calendars,” I explained.

“Really? Well, maybe we will have more promotion and sell more.”

“That’s sort of what I was thinking,” I said with a grin. 

“Try to stay in the truck if you can. You may be welcome by the rest of the guys, but the police might have other ideas,” he warned.

I glanced around and noticed the crowd of police standing around. A few of them were watching us and talking among themselves. I got the feeling we were being questioned. 

“I’ll stay in the truck,” I said. He gave me a quick kiss before heading back to the fire. I watched for a moment before getting back in the truck and watching from afar. I remembered the first time I watched them put out a fire. The first time I was so impressed with how they all worked together and knew exactly what to do. It was as if they could read each other’s thoughts. I was beginning to feel more at ease with what Sidney did. 

As the sun began to rise, the fire was finally diminished to nothing but ash. After debriefing with the police, we headed back to the station.

When we returned to the station, the next crew of men came in to relieve Sidney’s crew. I was beyond exhausted and looking forward to going home to sleep for a few hours. Even though I hadn’t been a part of any of the action, my body ached as if I had. I couldn’t imagine how Sidney must have felt. 

“How are you feeling about what I do now that you’ve seen it firsthand?” he asked on our drive home.

“It’s still pretty scary, but I’m realizing you have things well under control. I think this was a good thing for me to be a part of. Thank you for letting me tag along.”

“We go through pretty extensive training to keep us all safe. It doesn’t mean there isn’t the occasional accident, but for the most part, we all work together as a team and we keep each other safe.”

I nodded my head in understanding. I wanted him to know I trusted him as well as the rest of the guys. “I’d love to see your training sessions,” I said with a grin.

He laughed. “Those might be a little more difficult to get you into. But if you want, I can tell you all about what it’s like.”

“I’d like that,” I said with a smile. 

When we walked into his house, the thought of his inviting bed and warm arms wrapped around me were overwhelming my senses. There was nothing more enticing than going to bed and resting my sore body. 

“I’m going to take a quick shower,” he said, kissing my cheek before heading down the hallway to his room. I sat down on the couch and got my laptop out to upload the photos I’d taken during the night. The reporter I’d talked to asked for photos as soon as possible. I wanted to get them out to her before I went to sleep and potentially slept all day. I looked over the photos I’d taken of the fire and picked a couple that were pretty good and did a quick edit on them before I sent them to the reporter. I sat back against the couch and closed my eyes as I waited for Sidney to finish in the shower. 

The next thing I knew, I was being lifted off the couch and carried down the hallway. Half asleep, Sidney laid me on the bed before removing my pants and covering me up with the blanket. He crawled onto the bed next to me and I moved closer to curl up next to him. I felt him sigh contently as he wrapped his arms around me and found sleep himself. 

Many hours later, I was awoken to light kisses across my stomach. I wiggled under his touch and found every muscle in my body stiff. I winced at how painful it was just to move an arm. Sidney could see how much pain I was in and suddenly had a grin on his face. “Time for the hot tub,” he announced. I had nearly forgotten about his hot tub, but it made sense why he had it now. I imagined his muscles were probably ten times as sore as mine were. 

I didn’t have a bathing suit, so I had to go in my panties and bra. Sidney’s eyes drew across my body with an eager expression. I didn’t think I’d be leaving the hot tub with my bra and panties still intact. 

He took my hand and led me out to the hot tub where the warm water was a welcome relief to my sore muscles. I sighed and closed my eyes as I enjoyed the water. “This is nice,” I said. 

“It definitely helps after a long day,” he added. 

“What time is it?” I asked. 

“Around three,” he answered. “You must have been pretty tired. I don’t think you stirred once.”

“How long have you been awake?” I wondered. 

He shrugged. “A few hours.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” I asked.

He laughed. “I tried. You slept through every touch.”

“Sorry,” I said, feeling bad for sleeping so much.

Don’t be sorry. You aren’t used to the schedule. It’s alright to sleep.”

“Can I ask you something?” 

“As long as it’s not too hard a question,” he teased. 

I grinned and shook my head. “It’s none of my business, really, but why exactly are you guys doing this fundraiser? Doesn’t the school have insurance to fix the damage? Or if your family has money like you said they did, why doesn’t your family cover the expenses? It is the school your brother’s children go to. You’d think he’d want to help them out.”

Sidney looked away and licked his lips as if he was trying to figure out how exactly to answer all my questions. I regretted opening my big mouth once again. “The school’s insurance covers the structural damage, but not the books or shelves that were destroyed. My brother tried to offer to pay for new books and even talked about building a reading nook for the kids. For legal reasons, I’m not exactly sure I understand, the school can’t take donation money from a single parent. The school board frowns upon it because parents start to question if the children from that parent will be given extra attention or more advantages than others. It’s rather ridiculous, but I guess I understand how some parents might see some issues with it. So, to get around that, Tom set up this fundraiser using the fire station as the sponsor so it’s not coming directly from him. Guess who is probably going to be giving out calendars as Christmas gifts to pretty much everyone he knows?” he laughed. “Tom will buy out every box of calendars until he has enough money to do what he wants at the school.”

“Should I be expecting a calendar from you as well?” I asked, questioning what exactly he might be giving out as Christmas gifts. 

He smirked. “I thought you didn’t need a calendar because you could wallpaper your house with my photos?”

“Well, I can’t exactly wallpaper your house. I should have something here to stare at.”

He moved across the hot tub and slipped his arms around my waist. “Or you could just stare at the real thing,” he said seductively.

“I think I like that idea much better,” I admitted. I draped my arms across his shoulders and kissed him. He tightened his hold around me, kissing me gently and tantalizingly. Our lovemaking had become more intense since we had admitted being in love with each other. We didn’t really hold back much anymore. It was as if saying the coveted three words awakened both of us into a new world of passion. 

“Are you hungry?” he asked. 

I laughed and rubbed his back. “Hungry for what exactly?” I questioned.

He laughed. “Actual food first. Then dessert.”

I nodded my head and followed him out of the hot tub. He wrapped a plush towel around my body to dry off before we went back in the house. 

“What type of food did you have in mind?” I asked, heading to the kitchen to look through the fridge. I had taken it upon myself to start filling his fridge and cupboards with actual food. 

“I know you enjoy making food, but maybe tonight we can just order something in?” he offered.

“Alright,” I agreed. 

“How does Thai food sound?” he asked.

“Sounds wonderful,” I said, taking a seat at the table. He pulled out a stack of takeout menus and handed them to me to look through. Once we figured out what we wanted, he made the call to order and have it delivered. My stomach grumbled at the thought of food. I was starving. 

Sidney put a pair of sweats and a t-shirt on so he could answer the door when the food arrived. I stayed in the towel and sipped at some water as we waited for the food to arrive. Thankfully it didn’t take long. I quickly dug into what I had ordered and sighed at how good it tasted. I knew I was hungry, but I felt like I hadn’t eaten in days. 

After we stuffed ourselves, we sat in the dark living room and turned on a show. Neither of us paid much attention to the show as he clearly had other ideas in mind. His lips roamed across my skin, pulling the towel completely free from my body. I closed my eyes, enjoying his touch on my skin. He unclasped my bra, tossing it aside before pulling my panties off, leaving me completely bare for him. He lowered himself to the floor, kneeling in front of me. He pulled my hips towards the edge of the couch, causing me to gasp with anticipation. I rested my head back against the couch as his lips met my warm clit. He swirled his tongue around the soft spot causing to moan in pleasure. My breaths intensified as he continued. I rolled my hips, nearly falling off the couch. I cried out loudly as he brought me to the edge of satisfaction. My fingers combed through his hair as he rose his head and grinned happily at stimulating the first of many orgasms of the night. His fingers still rolled my clit between them as he worked me up once again. One of his hands came up my body and cupped my breast, squeezing and pinching at the nipple. I closed my eyes again and arched my back as the sensations were deepened inside of me. 

He watched me as I rocked against his fingers and moaned excitedly. Before I knew what was happening, he grabbed my waist and pulled me to the floor with him. I whimpered at the sudden movement. He turned me away from him and placed me on all fours. I gasped at what was coming, pushing my hips back against him. His hand snaked around my thigh and found my clit once again. I felt his cock between my legs, which made me widen my knees on the floor and raise my ass for better access. I couldn’t wait much longer. I whimpered again, rolling back on all fours, eagerly asking him for what I wanted. With his free hand, he lined up his cock and pushed it inside of me. I nearly fell to the floor gasping for air as he buried himself deep inside of me. His fingers quickened against my clit as he started to rock his hips against mine. As he thrust forward, I pushed back. Our moans filled the air. His free hand came around me and cupped my breast, causing even more pleasure to build. I leaned up on my knees, wrapping my arm around his neck as he continued to thrust into me with his cock, rub my clit with his fingers, and squeeze my breast with his hand. He moaned loudly as he started to kiss the back of my neck. His teeth sunk into the soft skin of my shoulder as his own pleasure became imminent. I dropped back down to all fours, allowing even better access. He grabbed my hips and with quick pace, thrust his cock deep inside of me, causing the most intense orgasm I’d ever felt wash over me. I tightened around his cock, pulling him even further inside. He fell over top of me and yelled loudly as his own orgasm hit him. 

After a few moments to gather himself again, he left gentle kisses across my back and pulled out of me. I rolled over to look at him and found him resting against the side of the couch with his eyes closed, breathing heavily. I crawled into his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. I kissed his chest and his neck before making my way to his ear. “I love you.” A happy smile spread across his face as I said the words. Even though we had confessed our love for each other, neither of us said it much. It still felt just a little awkward to say out loud. But in that moment, it felt right.

His eyes opened and took me in. He rested his hands at my hips, pulling me closer to him. “I love you, too. You have no idea how much.”

I grinned happily and rested my head against his shoulder. His arms tightened around me as we sat on the floor entirely exhausted and content.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long delay on this story. Lot's happens in this chapter.

I awoke in the middle of the night to Sidney leaving kisses along my back while we laid in bed. I smiled at how amazing his lips felt against my bare skin. His arm snaked around to my stomach and pulled me against him. I felt his hard cock against my back. I giggled and started to turn around. 

“No. Don’t move,” he whispered, tightening his hold around me. “Just enjoy it.”

He continued kissing my back and let his hand find its way between my legs where he gently rubbed my clit with two fingers. I sighed and opened my legs up for him further. His lips found the back of my neck and shoulder. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation. My arms came up and wrapped around his neck, holding him in place. He growled against my skin and increased his intensity. He adjusted on the bed and pulled my leg back across his to open me up. From behind, he pushed his cock inside of me. I gasped and writhed against him at how it felt. He moved slowly at first, taking his time to truly enjoy our connection. Soft moans left his lips and washed over my skin. Every thrust felt like an explosion going off inside of me. I breathed heavily and pushed back against him with every shove. His movements deepened and quickened against me, causing my gentle moans to turn into gasps of pleasure. Pure, intense, explosions of gratification washed over me.

His thrusts slowed and then plunged as deep as he possibly could, causing yet another explosion of pleasure deep inside. A loud moan escaped my lungs, causing him to chuckle against my skin as his finished with gentle kisses along my spine. 

“Did you like that?” he asked softly.

I sighed loudly. “Very much.” I turned around on the bed to look at him. He had a pleasant grin on his face as he stared at me with so much love. “Always fun to wake up to such pleasures.” 

He chuckled and kissed my lips. “I couldn’t agree more.” I laughed against his lips and kissed him again, wrapping my arms around his neck and thinking I would not be opposed to another round if he was up to it.

Just as our lovemaking started to heat back up, I started to get a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. A cold sweat washed over me and I knew instantly something was wrong. I stopped kissing him and sat up quickly. 

“Are you alright?” he asked, sitting up next to me and gently rubbing my back. 

“Yeah. I don’t know. I just feel really sick all of a sudden.”

“Is there anything I can do? Can I get you something?”

I shook my head and knew instantly I’d have to puke. As quick as I could, I unraveled the blankets around me and ran to the bathroom. I lifted the toilet seat and retched the contents of my stomach. When I felt as if there was nothing left, I sat on the floor and leaned my head against the cold shower door. My breathing was shallow and the queasy feeling in my stomach didn’t seem to go away. 

I heard Sidney coming towards me, but I couldn’t focus my eyes on him. He leaned down next to me and brushed my hair off my clammy skin. He held a glass of water out towards me. “Feel better?” he asked.

I groaned and tightened my arms around my stomach. “You should probably leave. I don’t want you to see me like this.”

He scoffed at my comment. “Not happening, sweetheart. I’m going to take care of you.”

“This is so embarrassing,” I whined, finally taking the glass of water from his hands and taking a small sip. “It’s probably the Thai food we had. It’s not agreeing with my stomach.”

“Yeah. My stomach feels a little squeamish also. No more Thai food for a while,” he joked.

Feeling slightly better, I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked miserable and was white as a sheet. Sidney stood next to me and continued to gently caress my skin or leave a soft kiss on my shoulder. He was being really sweet and caring for me, even though I looked and felt terrible. 

I brushed my teeth, trying to rid my mouth of the awful taste left behind. Sidney led me back to the bed and covered me up with the blanket. He sat the glass of water on the nightstand next to me. “Can I get you anything else?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Just hold me.” 

He chuckled and crawled into bed next to me. “I can definitely do that.” He wrapped me in his arms and held me close as I found sleep once again.

When I woke up again, I reached for Sidney next to me, but he was gone. I sat up, looking around. “Sidney?” I called out. He didn’t answer. I grabbed my phone and saw that it was nearly ten. I panicked, realizing I had overslept. I was supposed to be at work an hour ago. I threw the covers off of me and stood up. I instantly knew I shouldn’t have stood so quickly. I collapsed back on the bed feeling extremely dizzy. The nausea returned and I had to cover my mouth. 

“Charlotte?” Sidney said in a panicked tone. He rushed to my side and sat down next to me. “Are you alright?”

“I’m supposed to be at work,” I whined. “But I can’t even stand up without feeling dizzy.”

“You don’t need to worry about work. I’ve already called your boss and told him you have food poisoning. He knows you aren’t coming in today.”

I let out a relieved sigh. “Was he upset?” 

Sidney chuckled and ducked his head. “Well, I can’t say he was thrilled. Come on. Get in bed and I’ll explain.”

“Explain?” I questioned. He motioned for me to get in bed first. I crawled back into the blankets and pulled them up around me. Sidney left the room for a moment and came back in with a bag. “I went and got you a few things. Some medicines that might help your stomach feel better, some popsicles.”

“Popsicles?” I questioned. “They help when you can’t keep anything down. Don’t ask me the science behind it.”

I laughed. “Okay.”

“I got you some juice and a bagel for when you feel like eating something. I also got you some reading material,” he said pulling out a newspaper. I was confused at first. Why would he buy me a newspaper? I looked at the cover and saw one of my photos from the fire. I glanced at Sidney with wide eyes. He had a smirk on his face. I looked back at the picture and saw my name in tiny print in the corner as credited for the photo. A smile spread across my face.

“This is amazing. That’s one of my photos.”

“Read the article,” Sidney urged. 

I opened up the paper and read the article written about how a fire broke out and fireman were on scene to put the fire out and get things under control. Then the article changed into a piece about how our fireman do a lot for our community beyond just put fires out. The article went on to speak about the calendar fundraiser and how I volunteered to put the calendar together for the fireman of our community to raise money for the school. The article painted the fireman in an excellent light as being heroes of our community in more ways than one. When I finished reading, I glanced up at Sidney with a smile across my face.

“Your boss is a bit overwhelmed today with how the calendars are flying off the shelves. Seems as if everyone wants one. Even though he’s not taking any profit from the sales of the calendars, he’s selling plenty of other things along with them, which is good for his business. The only issue is he’s shorthanded and running low on the calendars.”

“I should really try to make it into work. I feel horrible for taking a day off.”

“You aren’t going anywhere. He called someone else in to come help. You are to stay in bed and let me take care of you,” he ordered.

“I feel terrible you have to spend your day off taking care of me,” I complained. “I’m feeling better other than being a little dizzy.”

“It’s my job to care of you. It’s what you do when you love someone,” he said with a grin. “Try to get some more sleep while I go put this stuff away.”

The rest of the day I slept a little, read the article in the paper at least three times, ate the bagel Sidney had gotten, and shared a popsicle with Sidney while we watched TV. It was a relaxing and peaceful day, which was definitely needed. I enjoyed our time together doing nothing. 

I also called up the printing shop and ordered more calendars to be made. I even asked to have a rush be put on them so we could get them quicker. If Sidney was correct, we were bound to run out. I was so excited to see just how many we had sold so far. 

In the evening, after a day of rest, Sidney asked if I wanted him to take another day off from work to stay home and take care of me. I insisted I was feeling much better and there was no reason for him to stay home. I was even determined to go into work to see just how many calendars we had sold. I had every intention of emailing that reporter back and thank her for writing the article about the calendars. She truly helped us out with promotion. 

In the morning, Sidney asked again if I wanted him to stay home. I assured him I was fine, and he should go. He gave me a gentle kiss and said he’d call me later to check on me. He made me promise that if I was feeling sick again, I was to call him instantly and he would come right home. I promised him and once again assured him I was fine.

Once he was gone, I took a shower and got ready for work, even though every step I took made me feel nauseous or dizzy. But I was determined to make it into work and get past this food poisoning incident. 

My boss told me the calendars were flying off the shelf. He sold almost all of the first batch in one day. He was quite dramatic as he regaled me with the tale of how he couldn’t keep up. I had a hard time holding in my giddiness. It’s exactly what I had always dreamed of. 

During my lunch break, I barely ate anything. For some reason the sandwich I had brought with me smelled funny and I couldn’t eat it. I was sure it had to do with being sick. Everything smelled and tasted differently now. I was hopeful in a day or two I’d be back to normal. I had to be back to normal. 

My email and voicemail were filled with requests to book a photo session. Since I was mentioned in the paper, it seemed as if everyone suddenly wanted to get their photos taken. It was just a little overwhelming, but super exciting. I couldn’t wait to start booking more clients. 

At the end of my shift, I called Sidney and told him all about how the calendars were nearly sold out and how I had a bunch of new requests for photo sessions. He was excited for me and kept telling me how proud he was for all I had accomplished. None of it would have happened if it wasn’t for him. He had to go quickly because of a call, so I didn’t have a chance to ask him how his day had gone, but I was sure he’d tell me later.

I met up with Clara for the late afternoon to finish up some Christmas shopping. I was still pretty weak from being sick, but I pushed through and finished up my shopping. I still planned to go shopping with Sidney when he was off work to buy gifts for his family. He thought it best we go together since I didn’t know his family well and would need his expertise. I imagined they probably all gave each other rather expensive gifts also. I would never be able to afford anything nice enough to compare to what they were used to. Even the few gifts I got Sidney I felt weren’t good enough. I worried he wouldn’t like them.

“You know what you need to get Sidney?” Clara asked. “What he would probably enjoy more than anything else on the planet?” 

“What?” I asked, intrigued by what she might suggest. She rose an eyebrow and tilted her head towards a store in front of us. It was a lingerie store with risqué looking outfits displayed in the window. 

I shook my head. “No. I can’t go shopping in a store like that.”

“Sure you can,” Clara assured, pushing me towards the store. “You’re a grown woman. Time to start showing your fireman what real fire looks like.”

I groaned, knowing I was going to feel totally out of my element in a store like this. Like always, Clara started pulling stuff off of racks and handing them to me. She gasped and ran across the room. She picked up a bright red, baby doll, lace lingerie and shoved it into my hands. “Go try it on,” she ordered.

I rolled my eyes and found the dressing room. I left my own bra and panties on as I tried it on and let Clara into the room to see. “It’s extremely uncomfortable,” I complained, pulling on the thin spaghetti strap.”

“It’s not meant to stay on for long. It’s simply to arouse your man so he can rip it off of you,” she explained.

“I’m supposed to pay for something he will rip off of me?” I asked.

“Yes!” she said very matter-of-factly. “He’s going to die when he sees you. I hope you know how to give CPR. He might need it,” she teased winking at me. I shook my head and tried to hide my grin. Once she left the dressing room, I looked at myself again in the mirror. I had little doubt in my mind Sidney would love to come home to me in this. I didn’t want to wait until Christmas. It seemed more like an intimate gift for his eyes only. 

At Clara’s insistence, not that she had to try very hard, I bought it. I had every intention of surprising Sidney in the morning with it. I almost wanted to take a picture of his reaction. 

I spent the evening with Clara, catching up with everything that had been happening in her life and in mine. Since I was with Sidney most of the time, I didn’t get to see Clara as often. Thankfully she was very understanding and happy for me. 

In the early morning, I headed over to his house and let myself in. He was set to be home in less than an hour and I wanted to look special for him. I spent the morning curling my hair and putting on just a little makeup with bright red lipstick to match the outfit. Once I felt like I had done all I could, I slipped into the baby doll lingerie and then took a quick photo in the mirror. I had a feeling Sidney might need to see it again later on. 

I positioned myself on the bed and tried to be as provocative as possible, but I felt more foolish than anything. 

I heard the front door open and he called out my name. I forgot he’d see my car parked in front of his house and know I was here. “In here,” I yelled. He walked towards the room but stood outside of the door for a moment. 

“Are you wrapping presents?” he asked, clearly hesitating to come in just in case I was wrapping something I didn’t want him to see. 

I giggled. “Sort of. You’ll need to help me unwrap one.”

He opened the door slowly and found me lying across his bed. “Welcome home,” I said, trying hard not laugh.

He stared at me with his mouth hanging open for a moment, taking in the sight in front of him. “Oh, hell yeah.” Suddenly his clothing was clumsily dropping to the floor as he made his way across the room towards me.

I giggled at his eagerness and sat up on my knees. So much excitement filled me as he wrapped me in his arms and kissed me hard and passionately. I moaned against his mouth and twisted my fingers in his hair. His hands cupped my ass and squeezed roughly before sliding down the back of my legs and grabbing at the back of my knees. He flipped me onto my back, pulling my legs out from under me. I laughed as I hit the mattress. He let out a low growl as he stared down at me for a moment. He placed a single fingertip on my lips, then dragged it down my chin and along my throat. I watched his face and took in his arousal as that same fingertip dragged across my cloth covered nipple and down my tummy, until it stopped between my legs. He took in a breath and let it out slowly as his eyes darted across my body. “God, how did I get so lucky?”

I sat up and kissed him, wrapping my arm around his neck and pulling him towards me. He pushed me back against the bed and dragged his lips down my body, taking his time to kiss and taste my skin. He pulled the strap off my shoulder and nipped at my skin before releasing my breast from the fabric and suckling my nipple into his mouth. He moaned when I arched my back, enjoying the stir he caused inside of me. 

He lifted the fabric to expose my tummy and left gentle kisses across my skin. He grabbed my legs and pulled me closer to the edge of the bed. He spread my legs further and knelt down between them. He kissed across the thin fabric first, then licked across my lace panty covered slit. He moaned before blowing gentle air across my wet panties. He was taking his time to arouse me, which didn’t take a lot. I moaned uncontrollably as he continued his pattern of licking and blowing. I opened my legs wider and closed my eyes to enjoy more. I felt his hands grab my hips and then his fingertips twist around the hem of the panties. He blew air across my slit one last time, before yanking on the panties so hard that the lace ripped. I giggled. Like a ravenous animal, he began his assault on my clit. He licked up and down my slit, swirled his tongue and gently bit around the soft bud before settling in to suck on it like he had the popsicle the day before. His moans became even more and more erratic and he brought me to the edge of pleasure. I cried out over and over again, thrashing in the bed against his mouth. I lifted my hips and yanked at his hair as I came against his mouth. It took me a minute to catch my breath as I came down from the high he elicited. 

He stood up and looked down at me with a proud grin on his face. He watched my face as he teased me with his hard cock in his hand. As if letting his cock lick across my opening and enjoy the wetness that had pooled. He drew circled with the tip of his cock around my swollen clit. I started to moan and wiggle below him as another orgasm built inside of me. 

“Do you want it?” he teased.

“Yes!” I breathed. “Please, Sidney. Yes!”

He thrust inside of me so hard that a rush of pleasure ran up my spine instantly. I yelled out loudly as he filled me and continued his thrusting motions. He pushed on my knees to open me further and deepen his cock even further in the depths of my pussy. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation building between us. He thrust again, burying himself deep inside of me before pulling out halfway and thrusting again. With every thrust I was brought to the edge of pure bliss, having orgasm after orgasm. All I could do was whimper and beg him not to stop as I enjoyed being hit with overwhelming pleasure. He tried to hold on as long as he could, giving me more pleasure than I ever deserved. In his frenzy to get to my breasts, he grabbed the spaghetti straps of the lingerie and yanked on them. The straps snapped and breasts were fully released from the fabric. His hands cupped my breasts and squeezed hard as if using them to brace himself for his own pleasure to hit. 

Sidney held his breath, pounding into me over and over again, giving me orgasm after orgasm until he could hold out no longer. In one large burst, he released the air from his lungs and fell forward. The grip he had on my breasts loosened and he struggled to catch his breath. 

I whimpered, wanting desperately to have another orgasm. I had become insatiable, wanting more and more. I combed my fingers through his hair and gently tickled my fingertips across his back as he lay his head against my tummy. 

“I needed that after the day I’ve had,” he said breathlessly. 

He lifted his head and laid across the bed in an exaggerated fall. “Bad day?” I asked just as breathlessly as he was.

“Bad in the sense that it was busy. We had a lot of calls, which is typical as we get closer to Christmas. Everyone seems to be catching their kitchens on fire trying to cook something for the first time, or their Christmas tree goes up in flames because they placed it too close to a fireplace or forgot to water it,” he explained. “We tend to get a lot of calls about potential heart attacks this time of year too. The most distressing part of the day was the call from my attorney.”

“Oh no. What happened?” I asked, concerned what was coming now. 

“It seems Eliza has now changed her mind and wants the house after all. I was willing to sign it over to her and be done with it if she would be civil about it all. But now, after she’s caused all this drama and even upset you, I don’t want to just give it to her. If she wants it, she can buy it. Apparently, that didn’t go over so well when my attorney informed her. She showed up at work and verbally attacked me in front of everyone. She’s seriously gone off the deep end. She’s threatening to take me to court for damages. I’m done with all the drama.”

“Can she even do that?”

He laughed. “No. If we were married, maybe. But we weren’t, so she can’t do anything. I definitely dodged a bullet there. I guess I somehow knew she wasn’t the right one. My attorney let her know she has to either vacate or buy the house herself by the end of the week.”

“Well, I doubt you’re going to get her to do either with Christmas almost here,” I reminded. 

He hummed and held me tighter. “Christmas already came for me. I got the greatest gift I’ve ever been given in my life tonight.”

“Lingerie?” I teased with a giggle. 

“No. My beautiful and sexy girlfriend in lingerie. It’s what dreams are made of,” he answered.

I laughed and snuggled in close to him. “I’ll have to remember that. Although I don’t think I’ll be wearing this piece again.”

He chuckled and rubbed my shoulder. “Sorry. I can’t help myself when I’m with you.”

“It’s exactly what I expected you would do. But it’s alright. It was well worth it,” I said. “And, for your information, I did take a picture of me in that getup for your own personal enjoyment.”

“What did I do to deserve you?” he chuckled, kissing my chest and neck. 

“More like what did I do to deserve you?”

We kissed and began getting aroused once again.

“Are we going to do some Christmas shopping later today?” he asked against my lips. I knew he had no intentions of going shopping, but he wanted to be sure it wasn’t what I wanted.

“No. Today, we are staying in bed and enjoying ourselves. We will go shopping tomorrow.”

“Enjoying ourselves, huh? I like the sound of that.” He rolled me over top of me again with a grin on his face. I giggled with anticipation as he began to kiss my neck.

He stopped kissing me for a moment and stared at me rather seriously for a moment. I tugged at the tiny whiskers on his chin. “What is it?” I asked, letting out a small giggle. For some reason his expression worried me. 

“I like this,” he said simply.

“I like this too.”

“No, I mean. I like you being here when I come home in the morning. I want to always come home to you in the morning. I want you to be here all the time,” he said. I licked my lips, trying hard not to smile. He had told me before I was welcome to come and go whenever I wanted. I usually only stayed when he was home though. “I want you to move in with me for real. Not just leave a toothbrush and a few changes of clothes. I want this to be our place. Or if you want to start fresh and have a say about where we live, we can look at other houses and buy something else.”

“You really want me to live with you?” I asked. I was feeling just a little stunned by his request.

“Yeah, I do. I want you with me always.”

“Okay,” I said timidly.

“Okay?” he repeated. “Is that a yes?” He tickled my side and made me jump and wiggle in his arms. 

“Yes!” I laughed. “Yes. I’ll move in with you. I need to make sure Clara will be alright, though.”

“Of course,” he said, being understanding. “You don’t have to move in tomorrow or anything. Not that I’d be opposed to moving in tomorrow, but you can take all the time you need.”

“I won’t need much time,” I assured, wrapping my arm around his neck and pulling him to me for a kiss. 

Later in the day, after we had slept a few hours, Sidney ordered food to be delivered. I wasn’t very hungry, so I just got a salad.

When the food arrived, I picked at the salad, only eating a few bites while Sidney devoured his food like he hadn’t eaten in days.

“You’ve barely touched your food. Are you feeling alright?” he asked.

I dropped my fork on the plate and snuggled up against him on the couch instead. “I’m just not very hungry. Since that whole food poisoning incident, I haven’t been able to eat much. I think my system is still trying to get back to normal.”

He wrapped an arm around me and rubbed my shoulder while kissing me on the forehead. “If you still aren’t feeling better in a few days maybe you should see a doctor.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m just trying to get back to normal.” I distracted him by kissing his neck and sticking my hand in his pants.” He chuckled and adjusted how he was sitting to give me better access in his pants. His head fell back against the couch, and he rolled his hips against my hand gliding against his cock. He closed his eyes and moaned loudly. I loved that I could give him so much pleasure. 

In the morning, after a long day and night of making love multiple times, we got ready to go do some shopping. He was done and out of his shower before I even got out of bed. I felt very tired in the morning, but I chalked it up to our many lovemaking sessions during the day and night. As much sex as we were having, it was bound to make anyone tired. 

Sidney gave me a sweet kiss to wake me up and get me going for the day. I got up and went to the shower. After my shower, I started drying myself off and prepared to brush my teeth, when I suddenly felt very light-headed and had a wave of nausea hit me. I dropped to my knees and leaned over the toilet, puking again like I had the other day. 

I sat back and leaned up against the wall. “Charlotte?” Sidney called through the door. “Are you almost ready?”

I didn’t want him to know I was sick again. I wanted today to be a fun shopping day. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine. I just need to brush my teeth.”

“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything,” he said.

“Alright,” I answered, in the midst of brushing my teeth. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I had to just be under a lot of stress or something. Or maybe it was just from having food poisoning and I was still dealing with it days later. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t going to let it ruin my day with Sidney. 

When I was ready, we headed out shopping and focused on getting gifts for his family as well as all the guys at the station. Sidney let me know James Stringer and Hunter Crowe were planning to join us for Christmas. They apparently didn’t have any family nearby and were invited to join the Parker family. Sidney also let me know I was welcome to invite Clara if she didn’t have anywhere to go. 

We had a great day of shopping and spent the evening wrapping presents and preparing for Christmas. I wanted to contribute to the meal in some way, even though Sidney insisted I didn’t need to. He said they had a chef on staff at his family home who would be taking care of everything. I still felt it necessary to bring something. I wanted to make a good impression on his family. I wanted them to like me. I was feeling extremely intimidated to spend Christmas with them. I wondered what they knew of me already and what they thought. I hoped they liked me. 

I scoured through cookbooks trying to find the right dish to make. Unfortunately, everything I looked at in the cookbooks seemed to make me nauseous. I finally gave up and decided to figure something out later. We still had a week left before Christmas. I’d have time to figure out what to bring. 

We went to bed early that night, enjoying our last moments together before he’d have to go back to work. I too had to work the next few days before Christmas and wasn’t looking forward to the last-minute crazy shoppers. 

In the middle of the night, I woke up feeling nauseous again and rushed to the bathroom. Thankfully I didn’t wake Sidney. I didn’t want him to worry. Being unable to sleep anymore, I decided to search through his boxes for something very specific. I had a great idea for a gift. While I was in the midst of searching, Sidney scared me half to death.

“What are you doing?” he asked with a chuckle. 

I sighed, trying to catch my breath from being scared. “I’m looking for some family photos of your father and grandfather.”

“What for?” he wondered, coming in the room and sitting down on the floor next to me. 

“It’s for a Christmas gift. I have an idea and need some photos.”

He grabbed a specific box and opened it up. Inside were photo albums full of photos. I had him sit with me and tell me who each person in the photos were. I found it helpful not only for what I was planning to make, but also so I had an idea who I was meeting in a few days. He showed me photos of his parents, his siblings including his sister, Tom and Mary’s children, his grandparents, even family pets throughout the years. I was able to find exactly what I was looking for without giving too much away to what I had planned. 

In the morning, he went off to work while I quickly got started on my photoshop skills before I had to head into work myself. Before I left, I thought what I had created looked rather good. I sent it off to the printers and rushed to work before I was late.

All day at work, I struggled with feeling nauseous and dizzy. I couldn’t eat anything and just the smell of food wafting through the air made me want to puke. Once I was off work, I decided it was time to see a doctor. Something wasn’t right. I was asked a bunch of questions, vitals were taken, I was asked to give a urine and blood sample, then put into a gown and told to wait. It seemed as if I was waiting forever before someone finally came in. 

“Good afternoon, Charlotte,” the doctor said politely. A nurse followed behind her wheeling a large machine in. “I think we may have discovered what has made you feel sick lately. You are pregnant.”

I laughed and shook my head. She had to be joking. “That’s not possible.”

“Are you sexually active?” she asked.

I hesitated for a moment. “Yes, but I’m on birth control. I shouldn’t be able to get pregnant.”

“Yes, I see in your chart you’re on the pill. Have you taken it consistently?” she asked.

I wanted to say yes. I always had. But when I started staying at Sidney’s house more often, there were days I’d forget to pack it and go a day or two without taking it. I didn’t think it would cause much difference. “I have missed a dose or two here and there. But I can’t be pregnant. I’ve only been with this guy a couple months. I’m not ready to be a parent. I don’t even know if he wants kids, let alone with me. Are you sure? Could the test be wrong?”

The doctor and nurse both laughed. “No. There is no denying you are pregnant,” she explained. “I’m going to ask you to lie back so we can do an ultrasound and determine just how far along you are.” 

I did as she said and suddenly, I felt as if I was under water. I couldn’t hear anything they were saying, I couldn’t focus my eyes on anything around me. Everything was a blur. How was I going to tell Sidney? How was he going to react? I wanted to believe he would be thrilled, but I honestly didn’t know. We had never talked about children or wanting them in the future. We had only been together for a couple months. He was with Eliza for six years before he even considered marriage. How was he going to react to having a child after two months with me? 

Tears welled up in my eyes and I had to close them to stop the tears from falling. 

“Miss Heywood,” the doctor said. I opened my eyes and tried to focus on the doctor. “Would you like to see your baby?” She turned the monitor and in the middle of a black hole was a small mass with a fluttering heart. My breath caught in my lungs at the sight and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I wasn’t sure if I was crying because of excitement to see this small child growing inside of me that Sidney and I had created, or if I was crying because I was scared. Maybe it was a mixture of both. 

The doctor took some measurements and informed me I was more than likely about two months along. I couldn’t stop laughing and crying all at the same time. If I was truly two months along, I pretty much got pregnant from the moment I started seeing Sidney. We didn’t waste any time. I was handed a couple printed out pictures of the blurry baby and given a bunch of handouts about what to expect and what to avoid. I was absolutely overwhelmed with all of it. 

I drove to my apartment and walked in. Clara glanced towards me and smiled. “Hey stranger,” she said. I walked towards her and once again tears streamed down my face. She hopped up off the couch and caught me in her arms where I broke down. “What happened?” I didn’t tell her at first. All I could do was cry. She sat me down on the couch and held me tightly until I was able to talk. Unfortunately, words didn’t seem to come. Instead, I handed her the ultrasound photos. “Oh shit!” 

“What am I supposed to do?” I cried. “I have no idea how to tell him. I don’t even know if he wants kids. What if he’s upset?”

“Well, if he’s as wealthy as you’ve mentioned, you’ll be getting a nice check for child support every month,” she said.

I sat up and looked at her angrily. “That’s what you think is going to happen?” I shouted. “I just found out I’m pregnant and all you can think about is the amount of child support I’ll be getting? Do you honestly think he’s going to dump me over this?”

She sighed, taking her time to stare at the photo in her hands. “I don’t know Sidney very well. But I know he adores you. I can’t imagine this will be a deal breaker for him. Clearly, it’s not what either of you had planned. But I want to believe he will be thrilled.”

“Do you?” I wondered. “He is good with children. I saw him with the kids at the school the other day. He was gentle and caring with all of them. He’d be a wonderful father. But does he want to be a father now? Does he want a child with me? I don’t know what to do.”

“You are going to tell him and hope for the best,” she insisted. “You can tell him at Christmas. I’ll go with you and be your support person. If he freaks out, I’ll be there to bring you home.”

The thought of him freaking out made fresh tears spring to my eyes and a wave of nausea hit me. I ran to the bathroom and puked again before lying on the cold floor and crying more.

In the other room I could hear Clara talking to someone then knock on the bathroom door. “Charlotte, you might want to come out here.” The way she spoke made me think Sidney was in the apartment. I couldn’t face him yet. I was still trying to wrap my own head around the news. If I tried to face him, I knew he’d be able to tell something was wrong. 

“I can’t right now,” I called out.

“Charlotte, I’m serious. You need to come out here,” she ordered. “Now!”

I rolled my eyes and stood up. I took a deep breath and washed my face and rinsed my mouth. I swallowed hard and willed myself to pull it together. Walking into the other room, I was prepared to see Sidney. I wasn’t prepared to see my sister.

“Alison?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How is Sidney going to react to this news? 
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a beast! It's over 11,000 words so enjoy. I had originally planned to go in a different direction and nearly wrote the entire chapter. Then when it was close to being done, it just didn't seem right. I talked with my husband for over 2 hours and he helped me flush out what was bothering me about it and gave me some great ideas on how to change it up and make it better. Ultimately it meant I had to nearly write the entire chapter over. The great thing is, what I had already wrote can very easily be used for the next chapter with some minor detail changes. Maybe there won't be as long a delay for the next chapter. Huge shoutout to my hubby for being my biggest fan and supporter. He's the best!
> 
> Also, who asked for a treehouse on Twitter? 😁

Staring back at me was the sister I hadn’t seen in quite some time. The sister I was extremely close to growing up. The sister who had grown to resent me for leaving her behind.

When my senses came back to me, I blinked my eyes a few times, doing a double take. “What are you doing here? How did you even get here?” I asked.

“I took a bus,” she answered. “I needed to get away. I’m sorry if me being here is an inconvenience. I can leave if you don’t want me here.”

“No. Alison, you are always welcome. I’m just trying to understand why. What made you come here to find me? We’ve barely spoken the last couple years.”

“I needed something different in my life. I’m tired of being stuck at home with nothing to do and no one to talk to.” I sensed there were other reasons. I wondered what had happened at home to make her come here. For the time being, she wasn’t saying much. “Can I stay with you?”

“Of course, you can stay,” I insisted. Clara gave me a questioning look at the thought of her living with us. “We can work something out.”

“I’m exhausted from the trip. Would you mind if I took a nap somewhere?” she asked. 

I led her into my room and let her settle into my bed for a nap. She was out almost instantly.

I went and joined Clara in the living room, sitting down on the couch. 

“Something is up with her,” Clara said.

“I know,” I agreed. “I don’t know what it is, but she’s hiding something.”

Sidney’s name popped up on my phone, indicating an incoming call. My stomach was instantly in knots seeing his name. I had this overwhelming fear he would know the truth through my voice alone. I almost declined the call, feeling sick to my stomach again. But I knew if I didn’t answer, he’d keep calling and be worried about me. 

“Hello,” I said.

“Hi,” he said in return. “I haven’t heard from you all day. Everything alright?”

“No, not really.” I wanted to tell him. I wanted to get it out in the open so we could figure out where to go from here. I wanted to believe he would be happy; we could make this work. But I couldn’t tell him over the phone, especially while he was at work. He needed to focus on his job, not have added stress of being a father. The thought of him being a father brought a smile to my face. I could picture him holding our baby in his arms and looking extremely happy. I wanted that to be true. “My sister showed up unexpectedly at my apartment. She’s sleeping right now, but something is up with her. I don’t know what yet. I feel like I should stay here for a couple days just to be sure she’s alright and figure out why she’s here.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. I could hear the pain in his voice. I had just agreed to live with him and now I was pulling away. “Of course. Your sister needs you.”

“It won’t be for long. Just a few days while I figure out what’s going on,” I assured. 

“You’ll still join me for Christmas with my family?” he asked.

“Absolutely!” I said, reassuring him that I wouldn’t miss it. 

“If your sister is still here for Christmas, you are welcome to bring her along.”

“Thank you. I’ll let her know and see what she says. I’m not entirely sure how long she plans to stay.”

“Would it be alright if I came by to see you tomorrow?” he asked.

“Um… I have to work tomorrow. I’ll call you when I get off and fill you in on what my sister’s plan is. I’m hoping when she wakes up, I’ll get some answers.”

“Alright,” he said disappointingly. “I love you.”

I hesitated for a moment. Not because I didn’t love him in return, but because I felt terrible saying the words and deceiving him. I should have just blurted it out and see where things landed between us. But I didn’t. “I love you too.”

I hung up and collapsed onto Clara’s lap. “What are you planning to do about the bun in the oven?” Clara asked brushing her fingers through my hair in a comforting way.

“I have to tell him. He has a right to know. I don’t know what he will do or say, but I want to believe he will be happy about it. He did ask me to move in with him and I said I would,” I said.

“You did?” she asked, looking slightly upset about it. 

“I know it puts you in a bind. I know you can’t afford the rent on your own. I’ll still pay my share until you can find a new roommate. I won’t be gone entirely either. We can still get together and I can come visit you. It’s not like I’m moving across the country. I’m not far away and you can come visit me anytime you want. Besides, I still need help picking out my wardrobe.” I was rambling. I tended to do that when I was nervous.

She took my hand in her and squeezed, giving me a warm smile. “And who else is going to throw you the biggest baby shower anyone has ever seen?”

I smiled at the thought. With every moment that passed, I was getting more and more used to the fact that I had a baby growing inside of me. A baby created from me and Sidney. 

“Looking back, I should have known I was pregnant. My own mother has been pregnant a dozen times. I should have recognized the signs. I guess I just believed it wasn’t possible.”

“Are you going to tell your parents?” she asked.

“I will at some point. I think I need to tell Sidney first.”

“Have you decided when you are going to tell him?”

“I know I should tell him now. But I keep thinking about Christmas. He’s so excited for me to meet his family. If I tell him before, he may not enjoy Christmas as much. He may go into shock. I think it’s best to wait until after Christmas. Don’t you?”

“It’s not my decision to make. If I were you, I’d wrap up a pregnancy test or even the ultrasound pictures and give it to him as a Christmas gift,” she suggested. 

I laughed. “I’m definitely not doing that.”

“Look, whatever happens, you’ll still have me. I’m going to be this baby’s favorite auntie,” she said. 

I reached out and gave her a hug, thanking her for always being a great friend. Her kindness brought on fresh tears of happiness. I seemed to find myself crying more than I was puking. Or not. Another wave of nausea hit, and I had to run to the bathroom. I moaned miserably after puking up what seemed like nothing since I hadn’t eaten anything all day. 

In the doorway of the bathroom, Alison stood holding out a small package of crackers. “They gave us packages of crackers on the bus. I hear they help.”

I took the package from her and sighed. I should have known she’d be able to figure it out. It’s not like we didn’t grow up watching our own mother dealing with morning sickness. Or in my case, all day sickness. “Thanks,” I said.

“I’m sort of surprised you didn’t call home and say anything,” she said. “You can’t even call us to tell us you’re going to have a baby? Don’t our parents deserve to know they are going to be grandparents?”

I grumbled at her accusation. “I only found out myself a couple hours ago. I haven’t even told the father yet. Please don’t jump to conclusions and assume I’m not going to tell our family.”

“You keep so much from all of us. We don’t know what you’re doing or how you are. You never call home anymore,” she scolded. “We didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.”

“Alison, I know you’re hurt by a lot of things, but I can’t fight with you right now. I’m too sick to do much of anything.”

“I don’t want to fight with you either. I just want my sister back.” I took a deep breath and walked to her, pulling her into a hug. “You don’t understand how much it hurt me when you left. You left me behind. You left me to take your place.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I was simply trying to survive in an impossible situation. I wasn’t thinking about what was going to happen. I was only thinking I needed to get away,” I explained. In the year after I left, my only goal was survival. Clara and I have made a fairly good life here. We are succeeding, but it took a lot of hard work.”

“You could have taken me with you. We used to be so close. We used to do everything together. Then all of a sudden you were gone with no explanation,” she said. As uncomfortable as the conversation was, it was a conversation that had been a long time coming. We needed to talk about this to get past it.

“I could barely take care of myself. I couldn’t exactly take care of my sister too,” I explained. “Alison, I know I hurt you by leaving. I know I should have told you, but I can’t go back and change things. All I can do is try to make it up to you. I’m glad you’re here, but did you only come to tell me why you’re upset or is there another reason?”

She walked out to the living room and sat down. Clara said she was going out to pick up some food for us and asked what we wanted. I didn’t want anything. Just the thought of food made me nauseous. Alison said she didn’t care. I gave Clara a grateful smile for giving us space to talk and figure things out. I sat down across from Alison waiting for more answers.

Alison sighed and wouldn’t look at me. I could tell she was nervous. “This is a nice place you and Clara live in.”

“Thanks. You should see some of the other places we’ve lived in over the years,” I laughed.

“What do you do to afford such a nice place?” 

“I work at a bookstore, but I’m also building my own business as a photographer. I’ve been getting more and more clients booked. I’ve also submitted a few nature photos for magazines and such. I recently helped a bunch of firemen create a sexy calendar for a fundraiser.” I laughed at the memory of the photoshoot I did with all of them. “It was such a fun experience. It’s also where I met my boyfriend. He’s a fireman and we sort of hit it off pretty quickly.” I had another thought of just how quickly we hit it off on top of the firetruck. I was sure my face had turned bright red at the thought.

“How long have you been seeing him?” she asked.

“Only a couple months.”

“I take it the baby wasn’t planned then?” she asked with a smirk.

“You would be correct. I’m not exactly sure how to tell him. I feel like we will be fine, but we haven’t exactly talked about kids. I’m not sure how he’s going to react, honestly.”

She shook her head and grinned as if she couldn’t believe what I had gotten myself into. 

“Are you going to answer my question about why you came?” I asked. She never did answer my question which made me wonder if she was avoiding it for a reason.

A sadness came over her face, and she hesitated to speak. “Because I have nowhere else to go,” she admitted. 

“What?” I questioned. 

She sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. “Dad broke his leg a few months ago and hasn’t been able to work. Because of that, no bills have been paid. They are going to lose the house. We’ve all been told to pack our stuff and only take what’s necessary.”

“What are they going to do?” I asked.

“I have no idea. Our parents don’t share anything with me. I’ve wanted to come here to find you for a long time. Given the circumstances, right now seemed like a good time,” she said. “Are you angry? I won’t stay if you don’t want me here.”

“No. It’s fine. You are welcome to stay as long as you need to,” I offered. “But I need to find a way to help everyone else too. Why hasn’t anyone told me?”

She shrugged. “Pride. Regret. I have no idea.”

“I’ll call them in the morning to find out what exactly is going on and what I can do to help,” I declared. Knowing my parents, I assumed it would be impossible to get information out of them, but I had to at least try.

In the morning, after puking a couple times, I called my parents and discovered Alison was indeed correct. They were glad to hear she was with me as she ran away and didn’t tell them she was leaving. What I wasn’t prepared for was just how indebt they were. I don’t think they even knew how indebt they were. They were very hesitant to share anything with me. I had to coax any information I could get out of them. Numbers reaching eighty thousand were shared, which truly shocked me. Now it all made sense why they were pushing me to marry. They had huge debts weighing on them.

When I hung up with them, I sat with my head in my hands. I was beyond frustrated. How did they let their debts get so bad? When I asked what their plan was with all my younger siblings, they had no answer. My mother, holding on to her faith, insisted a miracle would happen. I had the most sickening feeling in my stomach that wasn’t related to being pregnant.

“What are we doing today?” Alison asked almost excitedly.

I grumbled and grabbed my keys. “I’m going to work. You can stay here for the day,” I said.

“That’s all?” she asked sadly. I could tell she was disappointed that we weren’t going to do anything or go anywhere.

“Alison, despite you being here, I still have things to do. My life doesn’t stop just because you’re here.”

“I know. I guess I was hoping we could spend a day together, catch up and be close like we used to be.”

I sighed, feeling guilty for leaving her. “I get off early today. When I get home, we can go do something.”

“Fine,” she said. 

I rolled my eyes as I left. We used to be very close, sharing everything with each other. Doing everything together. Now she seemed like a stranger. I didn’t know her anymore. I wanted to, but she was different. 

All during work, I thought about what I was going to have to do. I was going to have to ask Sidney for help in saving my family. As much as I didn’t get along with them and they all seemed like strangers to me now, I had to do something. I hated myself for even thinking I’d have to ask Sidney. I never wanted to ask him for money. But in this situation, I didn’t feel like I had a choice. I knew he’d say yes, even if he didn’t want to. I felt sick knowing I was just as bad as Eliza. 

When I got home, Alison was sprawled out on the couch in pajamas eating a bowl of cereal and watching TV. “Is this how you have been all day?” I asked.

“I took a nap earlier,” she said. 

What I wouldn’t do for a nap after a long day of Christmas shoppers getting on my nerves. “Get up and go make yourself presentable.”

“Why?” she asked.

“You want to know what it’s like to live here? You want to know what I had to do to survive when I came here? I’m going to show you.”

She hopped up and quickly got dressed in appropriate clothing. We left the apartment and headed into town. “Alright, this is where I started,” I said. “Clara and I slept in the car for about a month while we looked for jobs and raised enough money for an apartment. Our first apartment was nothing more than a broom closet with a couple air mattresses. That first year was brutal. We were both miserable and questioned why we did what we did. But the alternative wasn’t any better. I don’t regret the decisions I made. But it took a lot of effort to be where we are now. If you want to stay, you need to get a job. You need to contribute.”

“How do I get a job?” she asked.

“You walk into the places and ask for a job application,” I explained. “Go to every place you can and ask.”

I gave her an encouraging smile and urged her to go. I watched as she walked into the first building and then I settled back, letting the exhaustion take over. 

There was a tap on the window of my car that startled me. I sat up and saw Crowe from the station sort of give me a questioning look and small wave. I smiled back and got out of the car. 

“Hello,” I said.

“Hi. Are you taking a nap in your car? Are you alright?” he asked.

I sort of laughed and shook my head. “My sister is in that store over there. I was just resting for a moment. It’s been an exhausting day. I had to work today and the closer we get to Christmas, the busier we get.”

He laughed. “I’m sure. I’m one of those that waits until the last minute to shop as well. Have any suggestions on what to get the Parker parents? I was invited to Christmas dinner, and I haven’t a clue what to get them in appreciation for their kindness.”

“I’m not the best person to ask. I’ve never met them,” I laughed.

He chuckled. “That is true. I know Sidney’s looking forward to having you there. You’ll love his family. They’re great. I’m sure they’re going to love you.”

“That’s really good to know. Thank you!” I said. 

Alison came up beside me, her eyes darting between me and Crowe. 

“How did it go?” I asked.

“I got four,” she said. 

“That’s a good start,” I said.

“Is this the boyfriend you’ve kept hidden?” she asked. 

I rolled my eyes and Crowe started choking while trying not to laugh. “No. This is Hunter Crowe. He’s one of the firemen Sidney works with. Crowe, this is my sister, Alison.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” he greeted, shaking her hand.

“You too,” she said with a smile. 

“Charlotte tells me you’re looking for a job?” he asked.

“I am,” she groaned. 

He laughed. “You could always try getting a job at a pub. They are always hiring. It’s grueling, but it’s a job and you get tips.”

“That’s a great idea. Have any in mind?”

“I can show you the one I frequent just around the corner. It’s not as rundown as some of the others. I’d say it’s a little classier as well.”

“Great!” Alison said. “I’ll be back.” 

I got back in my car to see Sidney had tried calling. A part of me didn’t want to call him back, but I did.

“Hey,” he said.

“Sorry I didn’t answer. I’m out with my sister. She’s job hunting,” I explained. 

“Any luck?” he asked.

“Well, we ran into Crowe and he is taking her over to his favorite pub to see about a job there. Right now, she’s just grabbing applications.”

“Does that mean she’s planning to stay?” he asked.

“For now, I guess.”

“Did she tell you why she came?” he asked. 

I sighed, hesitating further. “She did. I’ll tell you about it more later. She’s coming back with Crowe.”

I thanked Crowe for his help and told him I’d see him at Christmas. Alison was suddenly interested in what was happening on Christmas. I explained how we were invited to Sidney’s family home and a few of the guys who work with Sidney planned to be there as well. She was eager to join me. 

I didn’t call Sidney back until late in the evening. I was exhausted and made it obvious I was falling asleep on the phone. Just another tactic for avoiding him. I hated avoiding him. I wanted to be with him, to hold him, to be held by him, to fall asleep peacefully in his arms. But I had so much fear about how he would react about the baby and then the fear of how I would appear asking him for money.

“Are you working tomorrow?” he asked. 

“I am. I work every day until Christmas. This time of year is ridiculously busy. But I think we are getting another shipment of calendars in tomorrow. We’ve had so many people come in asking for them.”

“I feel slightly uneasy about strange people ogling photos of me,” he said.

I laughed. “Blame your brother. It was his bright idea.”

“Remind me next time not to agree to any of his schemes,” he laughed.

“But if you hadn’t, would we have met?” I asked.

“Very true. Maybe it’s not so bad.”

I yawned loudly. “I should get some sleep. It’s going to be another busy day tomorrow.”

“Should I come over and keep you warm through the night?” he asked.

I giggled and was tempted to let him. “I’m not sure I’m going to stay awake much longer. Maybe tomorrow?” 

“Sure,” he said with a disappointed tone. “Get some sleep and we can talk again tomorrow.”

I hung up the phone and felt horrible for avoiding him. I was so terrified of him being able to tell just by looking at me. I just needed to get through Christmas before I told him. I didn’t want to ruin his Christmas by telling him I was pregnant or by asking him for money. I had to hold out until afterwards.

I had successfully avoided Sidney the last few days, only talking to him on the phone a few times. Today, I couldn’t avoid him any longer. I was to accompany him to his family home on Christmas Eve and we were to spend the night to enjoy Christmas morning with his family. All the Parkers would be there. This was their yearly tradition. Then, in the late afternoon other guests, like Crowe and Stringer as well as Alison and Clara were to arrive. I was officially being invited into the family circle of Parkers even though I wasn’t one. To me, this gave me hope that Sidney would be more accepting of the pregnancy than I thought. 

I had worked all day on Christmas Eve. It was late evening when we pulled up in front of the house. I instantly felt as if I might throw up. The house was massive. Everything about it was magnificent. I felt as if I was walking into a castle rather than a home. I was terrified to walk inside. I knew I would never fit in.

“This is your house?” I asked.

“It’s where I grew up, at least most of my life,” Sidney said. “Don’t let the size fool you. It’s just a regular home inside.”

“I’m terrified to walk in there,” I admitted. “What if they don’t like me?”

Sidney laughed and leaned over to give me a sweet kiss. “They already love you.”

We walked up the steps with our arms full of presents and the pie I had made. The door was open for us. Someone I imagined was a butler walked up to me and took the pie from my hands. “Thank you,” I said. 

“There’s more in the car,” Sidney said.

“Of course. I’ll take care of them. Would you like your luggage brought to your room, sir?”

“Yes. Thank you,” Sidney said. The man bowed his head and carried the few presents we had into another room.

Sidney excitedly took my hand and led me through the halls to a large room where the rest of his family had gathered. 

“Uncle Sidney!” a little boy shouted, running towards him. Sidney swooped down and picked him up in his arms. Suddenly we were surrounded by people hugging us and kissing us on the cheeks. I was entirely overwhelmed and shaking from nervousness. Once they all retreated a little, Sidney linked his arm around my waist and introduced each person to me. His parents first, who looked so incredibly happy to have me here. His sister and her husband as well as the newest addition to the family, baby Grace. Thankfully I knew his brothers Arthur and Tom, but I was introduced to Tom’s wife, Mary and their children, Alicia, Jenny, Henry, and James. I recognized Jenny from the school. 

“Thank you so much for having me. I’m looking forward to spending Christmas with all of you,” I said.

“And we are thrilled to have you,” Sidney’s mother said, giving me another hug.

“I had a chance to look at the calendar you put together,” Sidney’s sister Diana said. “Who knew my brothers could pass as models?”

Arthur and Tom scoffed at her comment and her husband laughed. 

“I’m quite impressed with your skills as a photographer. Did you go to school for long to learn how to do all of those special effects?” Sidney’s father asked.

I glanced at Sidney nervously. “No. I mostly just picked them up by trial and error. I didn’t go to school to learn how.”

“How extraordinary. I assumed you spent years in school to learn those techniques,” he said.

“I saw you had a photo printed in the newspaper the other day. Do you work for the paper now?” his mother asked.

I laughed. “No. I simply got lucky with those photos being published. I had no idea the writer for the paper would write about the calendars. But it’s been such a blessing. We have sold so many of the calendars and will be able to present the school with quite a donation.”

“All the kids at the school are excited about the new library,” Mary added. “There’s to be an outdoor reading center that is sure to encourage kids to read more. All the teachers I talk with are looking forward to using the space with their kids.”

“That sounds amazing,” I said. “I’m so happy I was able to contribute to such a worthy cause.” 

“You have done far more than just contribute,” Arthur added with a chuckle. “I’d say Sidney would agree.”

I glanced at Sidney who didn’t say anything in return. Instead he looked at his brother with irritation. “I think we will head to bed. Charlotte has been working all day and is probably exhausted,” he said instead.

I said good night to everyone before Sidney guided me out of the room and up the stairs. As soon as we were alone in the room, he pulled me to him and kissed me passionately. “I’m so sorry about my family. I didn’t mean to bring you into the firing squad.”

I laughed and wrapped my arms around him. I had missed being in his arms. Even though I was still afraid he’d discover my secret just by looking at me, I was looking forward to sharing a bed with him and being wrapped in the comfort of his arms. For days I had been dealing with nausea and constant fatigue. It didn’t help that I had to work nonstop. I was super emotional and just wanted to be comforted by his touch.

He kissed me again then began kissing my neck and fisting my shirt in his hands. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered against my ear before meeting my lips with his again. He started to walk me towards the bed and suddenly I was terrified of what was coming. If I was naked, he was bound to know. I wasn’t far along, but I was sure I was beginning to show. 

“Sidney,” I said, placing my hands on his chest and pulling away from him.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Is this really appropriate? We’re in your parent’s home. What if someone hears us?”

He laughed. “It’s highly unlikely. Besides, I don’t think my family would care.”

“I’m just not sure I feel comfortable,” I said. “I’m rather tired also. It’s been a long week and even longer day. Could we just get some sleep tonight?” 

“Yeah,” he said, looking disappointed. He released his arms from around me and grabbed our suitcases. 

We unpacked and I went into the bathroom to put on some festive pajamas complete with slippers. Sidney laughed at me. “I want to be ready for the morning.” I walked over to the bed where he had already slipped under the covers. I discovered him bare and proudly displaying his arousal. The butterflies in my stomach were causing me nausea. I knew he wanted sex, I wanted sex. But he’d know. I took a deep breath and slipped under the covers with him. I turned my body away from him and settled into the pillow. “Goodnight.”

Sidney rolled to his side and snuggled up against my back. His hand came around my belly and started to pull at the hem of my shirt. I grabbed his hand and held it close to my heart instead. He grumbled, but he didn’t pursue his wants any further for the night.

In the morning, we were woken up by the rumbling sounds of kids running down the hall to head downstairs. Their excited giggles filled the quiet. 

Sidney groaned and rolled to his back, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “I guess it’s time to get up,” he said. 

There was a sudden thud against the door and then Tom’s loud voice speaking through the closed door. “The kids aren’t going to be able to wait much longer. We’re going to start without you if you don’t get up.”

“We’re coming,” Sidney called out. He went in the bathroom for a moment while I remained in bed. I knew the minute I sat up I’d probably have to puke. I was trying to prevent that as long as I could. When Sidney came out, he was dressed in some comfortable clothing ready to head downstairs. 

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“I’ll be down in a minute. I want to freshen up before I go face your family again,” I said.

He chuckled and sat down on the bed next to me. “You really don’t have to try so hard to impress them. They don’t care if you have bed hair or your teeth aren’t brushed.”

“But I care,” I said.

“Alright, I’ll wait for you,” he said. 

“You don’t need to wait. I’ll be down in a minute.”

He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss. “Do you want some coffee?” he asked.

I swallowed hard. How exactly was I supposed to get around answering this question? I thought for a moment and tried to come up with a way to answer without sounding suspicious. “What about hot chocolate?” I asked.

He scrutinized me for a moment. “Hot chocolate?” he asked with a confused tone.

“It’s a family tradition. We always drink hot chocolate on Christmas morning,” I answered. It was a lie, but it sounded plausible.

“Alright,” he laughed. “I’ll make you a hot chocolate. I’m sure the kids would love to join you in your family tradition.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. He accepted my explanation and left the room to make hot chocolate. I sat up and steadied myself on the edge of the bed for a moment. The room spun and the queasy feeling in my stomach was excruciating. I dug through my suitcase where I had stashed some crackers and started to nibble on them, hoping they would settle my stomach. It didn’t. Within moments I was leaning over a toilet dry heaving. I didn’t think I was going to be able to hide it from Sidney for much longer. I was sort of surprised he hadn’t figured it out yet.

Once I brushed my teeth and hair, I sat back down on the bed and ate a couple more crackers. They helped a little, enough to get me through Christmas morning at least.

I went downstairs and found everyone sitting in the room waiting for me to arrive. Sidney motioned for me to come sit next to him on the couch. He handed me a big cup of hot chocolate. Even though the thought of hot chocolate sounded good, the taste wasn’t as appealing. For some reason it tasted bitter to me. I tried to sip at it and then sat it down in front of me, hoping Sidney wouldn’t notice I wasn’t drinking it.

Arthur, being just as excited as the kids, started passing out gifts to everyone. The kids went first, ripping open gift after gift while all the adults watched and laughed at their excitement with every gift. Even though the family had money. The kids were given rather simplistic gifts and only a few each. I was impressed with how Sidney’s family, though well off financially, were still very humble and practical in most ways.

Henry came over and sat on Sidney’s knee while he played with a new toy. I enjoyed watching Sidney with his nieces and nephews. It gave me hope at him being a good dad for our own child.

When the kids were done, the adults started opening gifts. I started to question if the gifts I had gotten Sidney were good enough. Some were more gag gifts than anything he would appreciate. The first one was pretty silly. He probably wouldn’t even like it. He ripped open the wrapping to find a set of bedding sheets with firetrucks all over them. He instantly started laughing, causing everyone in the room to look at him. Little Henry eyed the sheets with interest. “You have sheets like me, Uncle Sidney,” he said.

“I don’t get it,” Tom said. 

“It’s sort of an inside joke,” Sidney explained before turning his attention to me. “But I love it, and we are putting these on the bed as soon as we get home.” He leaned over and gave me a kiss. “Thank you.”

He insisted I open one next. Inside a decorative box were stacks of old photos. He had probably emptied every antique store in town of the photos. I too began to laugh. I was surprised he had remembered the quirky thing I collected. 

“Is this another inside joke?” Mary asked.

Sidney laughed while nodding his head. Everyone in the room seemed to be watching us intently as if we were the most interesting thing in the room.

I handed Sidney another gift. He ripped the wrapping off of it to discover a vintage firetruck from the nineteen-twenties. Sidney gasped as he picked it up out of the box and turned it in his hands to admire it further. I didn’t know much about it, but I happened to see it in an antique store and thought of him. All I was told about it when I bought it was it was from the early nineteen-twenties. 

“Now that needs no explanation,” Arthur announced. 

“This is amazing,” Sidney said, still looking it over with his jaw hanging open. “Where did you even find this?”

“In an antique store. I was worried you might already have one like it.”

“No. This is a one of a kind, impossible find. I can’t believe you found it randomly in an antique store.”

“To be honest, every time I go into an antique shop, firetrucks are what my eyes are drawn to instantly.”

“Well if you ever see any like this, please let me know. This is truly amazing,” Sidney said happily, leaning over and giving me another kiss.

I was handed another gift, which was rather large but thin. Inside was one of the first photos I had taken of us together framed and set in black and white. “Don’t make fun of my editing skills,” he joked. “I just thought it would be nice to have a photo of us together at the house.”

I smiled and tears sprung to my eyes. “This is perfect. I love it. I know exactly where I want to hang it too.”

He grinned excitedly. “Good. I want you to change or redecorate anything you want.”

The last gift I gave him was something that came to me last minute and was something I had made for all the families. I handed out the large packages and had them all open them together. My stomach was in knots. I truly hoped they would like what I had created. When the framed portrait was revealed, everyone in the room fell silent as they took in the photo. 

“This is why you had me searching through boxes of photos in the middle of the night,” Sidney laughed.

Charlotte, this is incredible,” Mr. Parker said. “I’ve never been so moved by something in all my life.”

I glanced around the room and noticed Arthur was crying, Tom and Mary stared in awe of the photo, and Diana had tears welling in her eyes as well. 

I had created a photoshopped montage of photos from three generations of Parker fireman. Sidney’s grandfather, his father, and him with his three siblings all in their fireman gear. The backdrop made it appear as if they were in the midst of action. Even though only Sidney and his brothers were active fireman, the idea of the photo was that they carried the strength of their grandfather and their father with them into every job they did. 

“You are amazing,” Sidney said. “I can’t even imagine how long this must have taken to put together.”

I laughed. I was sure he thought it probably took days, maybe even weeks to put together. When in reality it only took about an hour. “Do you like it?” I asked.

“I can’t even tell you how much I love it. This is truly the best Christmas of my life,” he said, leaning over to me and giving me another kiss. 

The room had become more subdued as everyone settled back and talked about what they had been given and how much they loved each gift. Sidney draped an arm around my shoulders and continued to stare at the photo I had created. Then he would pick up the firetruck and admire it further. I noticed his family watched us throughout the morning and were overly interested in what we were doing or saying. It was slightly odd. “I have another gift for you,” he whispered.

“Do you?” I said, surprised. I didn’t see anything else. 

“We need to take a walk if you’re up to it,” he said.

“Alright,” I agreed. We got up and let everyone know we were going to change. They seemed surprised we were planning to go for a walk. 

Once upstairs, we dressed in better clothing to go for a walk outside in the crisp, cool air. I turned my back to Sidney when I took my pajama shirt off and put a thick sweater on. 

We headed outside, hand in hand and walked along the path that led behind their house. In the distance was an old treehouse that was clearly a fun hideout Sidney and his brothers, perhaps even his sister, played in as kids. “Is that from your childhood?” I asked, pointing it out.

“Yes. It’s probably still exactly the same as it was when we were kids.” With a newfound excitement, Sidney led me towards the treehouse. I laughed when Sidney started to climb the steps and asked me to follow him. I climbed up the sketchy ladder and reached for Sidney’s extended hand to help me up. 

Inside were plenty or old toys, of course a random firetruck here and there. A small table and a couple stools sat in the corner. Laid out against the wall was a small foam pad and an old sleeping bag. The musty smell in the old fort didn’t help the nausea, but I tried to breathe through my mouth in hopes it wouldn’t bother me as much. Thankfully, Sidney turned a handle to open up a couple small windows to let some fresh air in.

“Now that I have you alone, away from everyone and all distractions, do you want to tell me why you’ve been avoiding me all week?” he asked, catching me off guard.

“I haven’t been avoiding you,” I lied. “I’ve been busy with work, Alison showing up, and Christmas to prepare for. It’s been a lot to manage.”

He came closer to me and took my hands in his. His eyes stared at me intensely. “That may all be true, but you were avoiding me last night when none of those distractions were present. I believe you were avoiding me this morning also. Please talk to me, because I’m getting really nervous.”

I sighed and gave him a pained look. “I wanted to wait until after Christmas to talk to you. You have no idea how much I don’t want to do this.”

“What is it?” he asked. His expression told me he was worried it was something really bad. 

I sighed again, hesitating to ask him. “The reason Alison came here was because my parents are on the verge of losing their home and everything they own. They are in debt more than you can imagine. Since I didn’t marry the man they were expecting me to, they were never given anything in return. As messed up as it sounds, I feel responsible for their predicament. I can’t sit back and watch my family fall apart.”

“Are you asking for money to help them?”

I dropped my head and groaned at the way it sounded when he said it. “Even the words spoken make me feel like the worst person on the planet.”

He laughed and pulled me into his arms. “That’s all it was? Charlotte, consider it done. Whatever they need, I’ll take care of it.”

I pulled away from him and shook my head. “I hate asking you for money. I don’t even know if you have the type of money they need. After talking to my parents, it’s a rather significant number.”

“It’s fine, Charlotte. No amount is too much,” he insisted. 

“I will pay you back. I might be paying for a lifetime, but I promise I will.”

“You don’t have to do any such thing. It’s truly not something you should be getting yourself all worked up about. I don’t mind helping your family out. To be honest, I don’t want there to be a difference between your money and my money. I want it to be our money. I want you to feel free to use and spend what you need.”

“No. I can’t,” I said shaking my head. “I don’t ever want to come across as if I’m using you for money.”

“You aren’t using me for money if we’re married.”

I sucked in a breath, holding it in my lungs. My heart was racing so fast all I could hear was the thumping in my ears. My mouth hung open and my eyes were wide as I stared at him in disbelief. 

He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small box. My wide eyes darted back and forth between him and the box. I couldn’t believe what was happening. 

He grinned excitedly and opened the box to reveal a diamond ring. My eyes couldn’t even focus on the ring enough to truly comprehend what it was. He slowly lowered to one knee and held out the box in front of me. 

Before he could say anything more, I dropped to my knees, coming face to face with him. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what I was about to do. He looked confused by what I did.

“I need you to know something before you do this,” I said quickly. 

“Alright,” he said.

I took another deep breath and looked in his eyes. “I’m pregnant,” I blurted. It felt so good to finally get the words out.

“What?” he said with a disbelieving chuckle. The expression on his face said he was in shock. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I wasn’t sure how you would react. I was quite shocked myself. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”

Sidney started laughing uncontrollably. “Of course!” he said. “The puking, the dizziness, the emotional rollercoaster, the crazy dreams, avoiding me, and now not wanting coffee. I should have known. I should have seen the signs.”

“I felt the same way. I’ve watched my mom go through pregnancy after pregnancy. I should have recognized the symptoms.”

“Are you alright? Is there anything wrong?” he asked, suddenly concerned for my health.

“No. Not that I know of anyway. I have a couple ultrasound pictures in my suitcase.”

“Are you happy about it?” he asked. “I feel really stupid. I never once asked you if you were on birth control. I guess I just assumed. I should have asked if I needed a condom.”

I laughed lightly. “Sidney, you didn’t do anything wrong. I am on birth control. Well, I was anyway. You just have some super sperm that didn’t care whether I was on birth control or not.” He grinned proudly at my comment. I sighed, feeling so much lighter at getting the words out. Now I waited to see if this was something he was happy about. “We’ve never talked about kids before. I have no idea how you feel about it. I’m still in shock from the news, but I am happy. I want you to know I didn’t get pregnant on purpose to trap you. If you don’t want this, I will understand. I won’t expect anything from you.”

He laughed. “Charlotte, I just offered you a ring. I’m asking you to marry me and you’re worried I don’t want to have kids with you?”

“Are you sure you want to marry me?” I asked. “We’ve only been together for a couple months. How can you determine it’s right so quickly? You were with Eliza for six years and you never proposed. “What’s different with me that you are ready to propose after two months?”

“The difference is, I can be myself with you. The difference is, I’ve never been this happy in all my life. The difference is, I can picture a life with you; a happy and fulfilling life. I can’t picture a day without you in it. I never had any of that with Eliza. I considered marrying her plenty of times, thinking that’s what I needed to do, but not once did I go into a jewelry store and find a ring that I wanted to give her. I looked at thousands of rings and never found one that was right. With you, I wasn’t even looking for a ring, to be honest. Yet, this ring popped out at me and all I could think about was asking you to marry me. I wanted to ask you today in front of my family. They all know what I planned. They were all waiting for me to ask. But after the avoidance from the last couple of days, I was afraid I’d be made out to be a fool. I decided to ask you privately instead.” His words brought me to tears. I was already overly emotional because of being pregnant and now this. He took my hands in his and tilted his head to one side while he looked at me. “And can you please stop comparing what we have to what I had with Eliza? Our relationship is far different than the relationship I had with her. There is no comparison.”

I sighed and tried to stop crying. He wiped a couple tears off my cheeks and gave me a gentle kiss. “So, you’re happy about the baby? You aren’t freaked out?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Are you kidding? I’ve never been happier. You have given me everything I’ve ever wanted. I can’t wait to be a father. I can’t wait to raise a family with you.” He placed his hand on my tummy, for the first time feeling my growing belly. 

“Truly?” I cried.

“Absolutely! Did you honestly think I wouldn’t be happy?” 

I ducked my head nervously. “I wanted to believe you would. But I wasn’t sure if that was just my wishful thinking creating this fantasy of a happy family. We’ve only been together a short time. Having a baby is a lifetime commitment that I didn’t know if you’d be ready for.”

“Yet I’m making a big commitment by asking you to marry me also. A child is just another part of that commitment. I’m ready for this. I want this. I’m ready to start my life with you and our baby. This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.” He leaned in and kissed me, pulling me to him and deepening the kiss. For the first time in days, I felt whole again. I didn’t even feel sick anymore. I almost wondered if I was making myself sick with worry of what his reaction would be. 

He quickly pulled away from me. “Wait, wait, wait!” he said shaking his head. “I need to finish what I started. He grabbed the box and pulled the ring out. Finally able to truly enjoy the moment, I smiled and had a couple happy tears fall on my cheeks. “Charlotte, will you marry me?”

“Yes.” I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing everything was out in the open. There were no more secrets, no more fears, no more worrying. He grinned happily as he slipped the ring on my finger. Finally able to admire the ring on my finger, I realized just how special it was. A large diamond sat in the center with a detailed white gold band surrounded by another rose gold band with small diamonds leading to the large one in the center. The ring was incredible and seemed fit for a princess rather than someone like me. I’d never seen anything so beautiful and unique. The weight of it was heavy on my finger. It was going to take some getting used to.

I smiled and let out a small giggle at how perfect the ring looked on my finger. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him, lying down on the floor of the treehouse and bringing him with me. I could feel his hard cock under his pants and wanted nothing more than to help him relieve such a burden. For the first time in days, I wasn’t feeling sick and I was desperate for the pleasure he brought me. I started to unbutton his pants while we continued to kiss. He carefully pushed them down with one hand while he supported his weight on his other hand. I pushed the leggings I had on down my legs and tried to free my feet from them. Sidney’s hand ventured up my sweater and squeezed my breast. I winced. My breasts were tender, and he squeezed just a bit too hard. 

“I’m sorry,” he breathed. “Did I hurt you?” 

“It’s alright,” I said, pulling him back to my lips. 

“Charlotte, is this alright to do?” he asked against my lips. “I mean, I know it’s alright. But are you alright? If this is painful or hurting you in any way, we can stop.”

“No,” I breathed. “For the first time in days I feel normal. I’m just tender in certain areas.”

“Right,” he said with a chuckle. He pressed his lips to mine for a tender and sensual kiss. “I’ll be gentle.” He whispered the words so softly against my lips, causing chills to run along my spine. I moaned against his lips and started to breath heavily. He kissed my neck and gently lifted my sweater off of me. He pulled his shirt over his head and then settled in between my legs. He was being extremely gentle, which surprisingly made the sensation of his touches along my body so much more exhilarating. He very gently kissed my nipple before moving to the other one for another tender kiss. He stayed away from squeezing them or even touching them other than with his lips and tongue. I watched him as his tongue came out of his mouth and softly licked the nipple before closing his lips and tenderly sucking it. I moaned uncontrollably as I watched him repetitively do this moving from one breast to the other. My body rocked against his, painfully craving him to be inside of me. Heat built between my legs, and I could tell I was wet, even though he had yet to touch me there. He laughed against my breast when I started to come just from the stimulation he was giving me breasts. My mouth hung open and my breathing intensified as I came. Loud moans escaped my lungs as I arched my back while the powerful orgasm rushed through my body. 

He sat up on his knees and pulled me towards him. He watched my face for discomfort as he started to push his cock into me. The only thing I felt was pure pleasure. He grinned proudly as he rubbed my clit for a moment, and I came again. I clenched my walls around his hard cock as I came, causing him to groan in his own pleasure. He rested on top of me and kissed my lips as he rocked his hips against mine. I had a hard time focusing on kissing him as I came again and again. I had determined this was definitely a perk of being pregnant. My body was on fire and with every orgasm that hit me, the icy tremors chased the fire away, only to fill with warmth again. The constant battle between fire and ice was more powerful than anything I had ever experienced. I didn’t want it to end, no matter how exhausted I was. 

I was dripping wet when Sidney finally came, mixing his cum with mine. I laid flat against the wood floor of the treehouse, reveling in how glorious I felt after our lovemaking. Sidney lied next to me chuckling quietly to himself.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, slightly turning towards him. 

“Nothing,” he said, leaning up on his elbow to be able to look at me. “I just like watching you come. It’s the most amazing and thrilling thing for me to experience. Clearly being pregnant has intensified the sensation. I’m looking forward to a lifetime of watching you come during our lovemaking.”

I scoffed at his comments and glared playfully at him. “Did you ask me to marry you simply because you want to watch me come?”

He laughed and dipped his head in embarrassment. “It’s possible.” I snorted a laugh. He laughed again and had a lightness to his tone. “No. I asked you to marry me because I don’t want to live a day without you in it. You make life worthwhile and exciting and hopeful.” His hand slipped across my exposed tummy, resting right above my pelvic bone where his child grew inside of me. “You have no idea how incredibly happy you make me.”

I placed my hand against his cheek and stared at him with so much love in my expression. “I love you, Sidney. As much as you might not like that strangers are ogling your body, I am glad I agreed to help with the calendar. I almost didn’t. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be part of something I knew was going to take a lot of time and effort when I wasn’t getting paid to do it. If I hadn’t, you probably would have fallen for whoever was next on Tom’s list of photographers to call.”

He gently stroked my cheek and shook his head. “No. I wouldn’t have fallen in love with anyone but you.” He kissed me again, passionately letting our tongues tangle together before resting his head on my chest and tenderly caressing my tummy. I stroked my fingers through his hair enjoying our moment together. 

“Do you want a boy or a girl?” I asked.

“Do you already know?” he asked, raising his head to look at me.

I laughed. “Not yet. It’s still too early to tell. I’m just curious if you have a preference.”

“As long as you and the baby are healthy, I don’t care. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you and our child safe. You will be well taken care of and overwhelmingly loved to the point that you’ll get sick of me.”

I shook my head and bit my lip. “It’s not possible. How could I ever get sick of someone loving me so fully? Every woman dreams of having that. I feel incredibly blessed to have you, and I can’t wait to marry you.”

He rested his head on his hand which was propped up on his elbow. “Do you want a big formal wedding with lots of guests?” he asked.

I shook my head thinking of the horror and stress that would cause. “I’d rather have something more intimate. I’d be happy if it was just you and me with maybe a handful of guests. Your family, of course, and the guys at the station, Clara and probably my sister.”

“What about your parents?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I’m not sure they would even want to come. I don’t think I’m their favorite person.”

“Maybe it’s time to go visit them and see if we can make amends?” he suggested.

“You don’t have to get involved in my messy family situation,” I groaned.

“I’m going to marry you, Charlotte. Your mess is my mess now,” he laughed. “I want you to try to mend the relationship with your parents. If you want that, of course. Unless you’re happy with them not being a part of your life.”

“No,” I said sadly. “I wish I could have them in my life. I miss my brothers and sisters. With Alison showing up, I’m realizing how different we are now. We used to be so close and told each other everything. Now she seems almost like a stranger. I still love her and want to have a good relationship with her. I just think with the amount of time that’s gone by and all the hurt caused between us, it’s caused us to grow apart. I’m afraid it’s probably the same for the rest of my siblings too.”

“All the more reason to visit them and try to make amends,” he said. “We can go visit them this week, if you want.”

The thought of visiting my family made me incredibly nervous. Suddenly the nausea was back after having a short time of relief. He was right though. I needed to clear things up with my family and see if we could put the past behind us and move forward. “If we go visit them, I don’t want them to know you come from money. I don’t even want them to know you’re going to help them. I want it to come across as if an anonymous donor is helping them.”

He nodded his head in agreement. “I’ll just plan to charm them with my wit and hope your father will agree to let me marry you,” he said with a grin.

“It’s not up to him. He can refuse all he wants. I’m marrying you whether he likes it or not,” I said determinedly. 

Sidney laughed before kissing me. “Good to know I don’t need his blessing.”

“Out of curiosity, how did your family take the news about you asking me to marry you?”

He grinned sheepishly. “They were thrilled. I think they’re a little disappointed I didn’t ask you this morning while opening presents.”

“Now I feel terrible that my insecurities made them miss out on this moment,” I said.

He shook his head and tightened his arm around my waist. “Don’t feel bad. I think this was better anyway. We had a moment to talk and discuss what we want before being bombarded with hugs and congratulations. You know once we walk back in the house that’s what they are going to be doing. This way, we had a moment to ourselves to enjoy the moment.” He grinned excitedly. “Besides, I got to fulfill one of my teenage fantasies with you up in this treehouse.”

I laughed and shook my head. “You never brought any other girl up here?”

“No,” he laughed. “I always wanted to though. I’m glad it was you.”

“Me too,” I whispered. “I think this was the perfect spot to ask me to marry you.”

We kissed and enjoyed a little while longer of being alone before we got dressed and headed down the ladder. Suddenly Sidney was super cautious and overprotective. I appreciated his attentiveness, but I could walk along a path just fine. I guess this is what he meant when he said he was going to take good care of us. 

Before we reached the house, I stopped him. “Do you think we can go to the bedroom before we face your family?” I asked.

“We might be able to sneak by. What for?” he asked with a smirk and raised eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes. “Not that. I don’t know if your family will wait that long. I want to show you the ultrasound pictures first.”

He grinned excitedly and took my hand, leading me through the front door. We bolted up the stairs even though his mother was calling after us.

“Sidney!” she shouted again at the bottom of the stairs.

“We’ll be right back,” he yelled back. 

Once inside the security of our room, Sidney pulled me flush against him and kissed me. I rested my arms around his shoulders while he danced me around the room. Neither of us were ready to be surrounded by people. Things were much better when it was just the two of us.

I slowly slipped away from him and went to my suitcase. He stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around me as he watched me search for the photos. I pulled them out and held the strip of photos in front of us. “This is the head and that’s the body. This right here is a little leg sticking out.” I described the photo to him so he could see what our child looked like right now. He was silent for a moment as he stared at the grainy, black and white photos. I tilted my head to look at him and saw tears welling in his eyes. He took the photos from my hand and just stared in amazement. I turned around and wrapped my arms around his middle, resting my head against his chest. He rubbed my back and let the softest of whimpers escape his lungs. 

He wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. “We’re about to make this official. Getting married, having a baby, maybe we need to start house hunting also. We are going to need a bigger place. I want you to have a home you actually helped pick out; something you can call your own.”

“You are too good to me. I don’t deserve you,” I said on the verge of tears of my own.

“You deserve the world. You’ve given me everything I have ever dreamed of in a matter of just a couple months.” I tightened my arms around him and closed my eyes enjoying being in his arms. “How far along are you?” he asked.

I laughed and looked up at him. He turned his attention from the photos to me. “Funny thing,” I began. “I’m about two months along. Which basically means I probably got pregnant either during our first time or one of the first times.”

He grinned. “We’re going to say you got pregnant on the firetruck. It makes the story better.”

I snorted a laugh. “Alright. I got pregnant during our first time on top of the firetruck. It’s official.”

We kissed, enjoying our moment of happiness. “We should probably go tell everyone,” he said. “You know they are all breathless with anticipation.” I laughed and nodded my head in agreement. We both took a deep breath and headed downstairs to face his family. 

We walked into the room where everyone was waiting. Even Alison and Clara had arrived as well as Crowe and James Stringer. There were only a few people I didn’t recognize, who I assumed were friends of Sidney’s parents. Everyone stared at us intently, silently waiting. I glanced up at Sidney, wondering just how he was planning to say it. Instead, he didn’t say anything. He just grinned and held up my hand in the air so everyone could see the ring on my finger. What was funny, is Sidney’s family all cheered and clearly knew what was possibly coming, while Clara and Alison gasped in shock. Both of them stared with wide eyes and their mouths hanging open. All I could do was smile. I was so happy that I didn’t think I’d ever stop smiling.

Sidney’s family started rushing towards us. “Wait!” Sidney shouted, stopping everyone in their tracks. “There’s more.” Sidney proudly held up the ultrasound photos in his other hand.

Suddenly there were shrieks and screams coming from everyone. This news, Alison and Clara knew, whereas Sidney’s family was learning the news of the pregnancy for the first time.

Mrs. Parker jumped up and down and rushed over to be the first to hug us. She ripped the photos out of Sidney’s hands to look closer while continuing to scream and jump up and down. Sidney and I just laughed and enjoyed the excitement coming from everyone. We were truly happy in that moment. I hoped my own family would be just as happy as Sidney’s family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't they just the sweetest? I love them! 😍
> 
> I’ll post a pic of her ring on Twitter tomorrow once more people have read it. It’s gorgeous! ❤️


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very long chapter. A lot happens, but at the same time maybe not a lot happens. I don't know. It's complicated.

As the Christmas day stretched on, Sidney and I found ourselves snuggled up on the couch in front of the fireplace in a small sitting room. More people had arrived and joined us for the Christmas dinner and stayed into the evening for conversation and drinks. It was a lovely meal with so much food. Unfortunately, I couldn’t eat much of it. I tried, but most of it made me nauseous. At least with everyone knowing about the pregnancy, I didn’t appear to be rude by not eating much. 

I was exhausted from the day’s celebration and events and found myself drifting in and out of sleep against Sidney’s chest. His arm wrapped around me protectively as we enjoyed a moment of quiet away from the crowd of people who had mostly congregated in the common room. We could still hear them laughing and enjoying each other’s company, but for the most part, we were alone in the darkened room. 

“I keep thinking about all the things we did wrong these past couple of months,” Sidney blurted with a worried tone.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He sighed. “We went out and had drinks, we went in the hot tub, we ate food you shouldn’t eat, I put you in a stressful environment when I took you on the ride along. All these things you aren’t supposed to do while pregnant,” he explained.

I rubbed his chest and snuggled into him further. “It’s alright, Sidney. The baby is fine. There’s nothing to be worried about. We didn’t know I was pregnant.”

He sighed again. “I should have known better. I should have seen the signs.”

I sat up and looked at him. “Will you stop?” I ordered. “Everything is fine. We will be fine. We can’t go back and change anything. All we can do is go forward and make sure we do everything right from here on out. The baby will be fine.”

He smiled and gave me a sweet peck on the lips. “You’re right. Everything will be fine.”

I snuggled back into his side and rested my eyes. I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep until Sidney woke me up hours later. He had packed my suitcase and gotten everything put into the car so we could head home. Most everyone had already left. I was still very tired, but Sidney helped me put my shoes and coat on so we could head home. 

Once in the car, I suddenly realized I hadn’t made sure Alison and Clara had made it home alright. “Did Alison leave with Clara?” I asked.

Sidney laughed. “About that. I hope you aren’t too upset, but Alison left with Crowe.”

“What?” I said with a chuckle. 

“They talked most of the night and even went on a short walk around the yard. I think Crowe may be smitten with your sister,” he explained.

“That’s sort of hard to believe. Not that I mind, but I guess I just assumed James Stringer would be more her type. I was suspecting they might start up a conversation tonight and spend some time together.”

Sidney laughed again. “About that. It seems as though Stringer and Clara have formed an attraction for each other. They too spent most of the night talking and if I heard correctly made plans to meet up again.”

I laughed. “Exactly how long was I asleep?” 

Sidney laughed too and took my hand in his bringing it to his lips and kissing my knuckles. “You need lots of rest. I’d like to suggest you quit your job at the bookstore.”

“No!” I protested. “Sidney, I don’t want to sit at home and do nothing with my time.”

“Hear me out first,” he begged. “I know you want to continue with your photography business. I think you should make that your priority and give up the day job. This way you aren’t spreading yourself too thin when you have bigger things to worry about, primarily our baby. But also, a wedding, buying a house, moving, helping your family, helping your sister. I don’t want you to put anymore stress on your body. Please, just give me this one request.”

I sighed and thought about what he was saying. He was right. I was spreading myself thin. “I guess you’re right. I am heaping on the stress and probably should try to release some. I just don’t want to come off as the girl taking advantage of you.”

He smirked and kissed the back of my hand again. “You aren’t taking advantage of anything. You’re marrying me, which makes us partners. What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine. It’s not that complicated.”

“I suppose you’re right. At least I fell in love with you before I knew you had money,” I said.

“Did you?” he asked with a hint of surprise in his voice. “When exactly?”

“It’s silly. You’ll think I’m crazy when you hear.”

“You have to tell me now,” he teased.

I sighed and looked at him nervously. He glanced back and forth between me and the road. “When we were in the helicopter. I remember glancing over at you and instead of looking out the window at the view, you were looking at me. I felt a little self-conscious at first, but when you smiled and looked away shyly, I knew in that moment I was falling in love with you. I don’t think I was ready to admit it to even myself at that point. But looking back, that’s when it happened.”

He was quiet while he took in the reveal. “I suppose it’s not that silly. I fell in love with you at pretty much the same moment. You were so beautiful when we were up in the sky taking pictures of everything. I loved seeing you so excited and happy. I’d never really met someone with that much passion for something they loved. I knew in that moment I wanted to spend my life with you. But because of past experiences, I was terrified.”

“It didn’t stop you, though,” I pointed out.

He chuckled. “No, it didn’t. I’m glad I didn’t. Otherwise I’d never know true happiness.” I smiled at him and knew what we were doing was right. I was going to be married to the most wonderful man I’d ever met, and we were starting a family together.

We pulled up in front of his house and headed inside. We decided to unpack the car in the morning and just try to get some sleep for the night. 

Early in the morning, Sidney got up and unloaded his car with our bags and Christmas gifts before kissing me goodbye and heading off to work. I slept in longer than I should have. When I did finally get up, I checked in on Alison and Clara to make sure they both made it back to the apartment alright. Turned out Alison had spent the night at Crowe’s apartment, which weirded me out a bit. I wasn’t sure how I felt about them together. To me, Alison was still too young to be seeing anyone or spending the night at someone’s apartment. But then again, I hadn’t really spent a lot of time with my sister in a few years. She was different now and probably wasn’t as innocent as I thought she was. I did feel a bit responsible for her and decided I needed to have a talk with her about what her intentions were. 

I asked her to come over to the house and sent her a cab to pick her up. After I called her, I called Clara. I asked how she was and expected her to tell me James Stringer had spent the night with her. Instead, she told me something entirely different and seemed almost giddy about it. She said when they left the Parker home, they exchanged phone numbers and made plans to meet up for dinner. She said they had this really nice conversation during the night and then when she got home, he called her simply to make sure she got home alright. Then they talked on the phone all through the night. He didn’t try to kiss her, he didn’t ask to come over, he didn’t ask for sex or make any mention of expecting that. He simply wanted to get to know her and spend time with her. She called him sweet, which was not something I heard Clara ever say about a man. I was surprised but happy for her. I hoped things worked out.

When Alison arrived, she seemed tired. “Are you alright?” I asked.

“Of course, I am,” she said. “Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“You spent the night with Crowe. I assume certain things happened,” I said.

“Certain things like sex?” she laughed. 

I squirmed in my seat a little. “Well, yes.”

“It’s not like it’s my first time,” she admitted. 

“It’s not?” I questioned.

She laughed. “You’ve been gone for a long time. A lot has happened that you don’t know about.”

“I guess I’m just worried about you. I want to make sure you aren’t moving too fast,” I said.

“As opposed to you?” she said. “You’re getting married and having a baby two months after meeting the guy. But me hooking up with Crowe is out of the question, I suppose?”

“Is that all it was? Just a hookup? A one-night stand?” I asked, trying to leave my own relationship out of the conversation.

“I have no idea. I wouldn’t be heartbroken if he didn’t call me again. But if he does, I’ll see him again. He makes me laugh and treats me like I matter. It’s different when you meet someone who doesn’t know anything about your family. At home everyone knows everything. You can’t escape the gossip and rumors. Here, I can just be me. Crowe wanted to get to know the real me. I appreciated that he wanted to spend time with me.”

I sighed. “Just be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to get hurt.”

I let it go from there knowing she was only going to get more upset with me if I kept pushing. I needed to come to terms with my sister being an adult and being wise enough to make her own decisions.

“Since you mentioned home, Sidney and I are planning to head back there tomorrow. I want to see what I can do to help save the house. Do you want to come?” I asked.

“I’d rather not,” she admitted. “If I do, I’ll be forced to stay.”

“Why would you be forced to stay?” I asked. 

“To help with our siblings. To help with the chores around the house and on the farm. I don’t want to stay there anymore. There’s nothing there for me,” she complained.

The realization of why she went after Crowe hit me. She was looking for excitement. She wanted her own adventure. Crowe was exciting to her. Equally, Clara was looking for something calm. Stringer was her calm to the storm that her life had been. The way things ended up made sense. I had no idea how either relationship would end up, but I was coming to terms with where they were and decided to stay out of all of it. Clara and Alison were both smart enough to navigate things on their own. I needed to focus on my own relationship.

“If I let you stay with us, will you get a job and contribute to the expenses?” I asked.

“Isn’t your fiancé rich? Why exactly would I need to help?” she asked.

I sighed angrily. “Alison, just because Sidney has money doesn’t mean you should expect him to take care of you because you’re my sister. Even I contribute to the expenses.”

“Sorry,” she rolled her eyes. “Look, I’ll get a job. I’ve already put in the applications at a few places. I’ll work two jobs if I need to. But I really don’t want to stay with you.”

“What?” I asked.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean that to sound so offensive. I just need time away from family in general. I need to find me. I already talked to Clara about it yesterday on our drive to the Parker residence and she agreed to let me live with her taking your spot if I can pay my share of the expenses. I’ll find a way to make it happen,” she explained.

“You’re sure that’s what you want?” I asked. 

“I’ll be fine. If things don’t work out living with Clara, I know I can always come to you,” she said.

“Yes, you can. I’ll always be here for you,” I assured. 

I drove her back to the apartment and talked with Clara about Alison moving in. They seemed to have everything worked out without me already. I packed a few more of my things, leaving most of it behind for Alison or Clara. I really didn’t have a need for most of it anymore. As exciting as it was to start this new chapter of my life with Sidney, I couldn’t help the sadness that came over me. Clara and I had been through so much over the years. She was and always would be my best friend. I hoped Alison didn’t cause her too much trouble. Clara, knowing me so well, promised to keep an eye on her for me. I hugged both of them and made them promise to call me and come over as often as they wanted. They both said they would.

The next morning when Sidney got home, we headed to my hometown to see my family. I was slightly nervous to see them after all these years. I wondered if I’d even be welcomed into the home. We had come to terms with what had happened and were on speaking terms again, but it wasn’t the same. I wondered how they would take the news that not only had I gotten engaged, but we were also having a baby. I also wondered how they would take the news that Sidney was going to bail them out of debt. 

The first stop was the bank. I wanted to know just how far in debt they were and how much it was going to cost us to fix. We walked in and asked to speak to someone about paying off the debt my parents owed. We were asked to wait for a moment while someone was called for us. 

Sidney rubbed my arms and looked at my face intently. “Are you feeling alright?” he asked.

“Of course,” I answered. “Why do you ask?”

“You seem nervous or scared. I don’t know. Your breathing is different.”

“Is it?” I said, not realizing just how nervous I was. “I suppose it’s just a lot of money I’m asking you to hand over without any guarantee you’ll ever receive a cent of it back.”

“It’s fine, Charlotte. Truly. I’m happy to help,” he assured, rubbing my arms again and kissing my forehead.

“Charlotte?” I wished I could say I didn’t recognize the voice calling out my name. Unfortunately, I knew exactly who it was. 

I slowly turned around, taking Sidney’s hand for support. “Mr. Howard,” I greeted politely. The man I was once supposed to marry hadn’t changed much from before I left. His hair had greyed a little, but he was still very much the same. The sight of him made my stomach turn and hold on to Sidney a little tighter. Sidney sensed my uneasiness and wrapped his arm around my waist protectively. Mr. Howard glance between me and Sidney, I’m sure questioning our relationship. I made a point to put my hand on Sidney’s chest so he could see the ring on my finger. “This is Sidney Parker, my fiancé.”

Mr. Howard stared at me for a moment as if trying to comprehend what I had just said. “I see.”

“Charlotte Heywood?” a banker called from across the room. 

“We have to get going. Excuse us,” I said, pulling Sidney along with me. 

“I would have given you a bigger ring,” he called out as I walked past him.

I stopped and turned back towards him, glaring at his audacity. “I would have chosen Sidney for a smaller ring.” I turned around and kept walking.

“Am I right in assuming that was the man your family wanted you to marry?” Sidney asked.

I sighed heavily, willing myself not to glance back to see if he was watching me. “You would be correct.”

“I have a sudden urge to punch the man in the face as well as your father,” Sidney said angrily as he looked back at Mr. Howard.

“Trust me, I know the feeling. But this isn’t about my father. This is about my siblings. I can’t live with myself if I knew they were on the streets with nothing.”

He sighed and looked back at me trying to calm himself. “You’re right. We are doing this for your siblings.”

We met with the banker and talked about my parent’s debt. They had borrowed against the house too many times to keep the farm going and to buy new equipment. They hadn’t paid anything in months and before that they were only making small payments to get by. The bank had no choice but to foreclose. Sidney, being the wise and trusting man that he is, offered to pay the debt in full if they were able to keep the house and the farm. He even offered to put money in their account to keep them afloat. Of course, the bank accepted. We asked that the beneficiary of the money be anonymous. I didn’t want my parents to know about Sidney’s money. I didn’t want them to suddenly think they could ask him for money whenever they got in a bind. I knew Sidney would help them, but I didn’t want them to use him.

When we left the bank and got into the car, I was overwhelmed with how much Sidney had done. He had willingly handed over a large amount of money without even questioning it. “Thank you,” I said, even though the words didn’t seem to be enough. I felt like I owed him so much more.

“Of course.” He took my hand in his and leaned across the car to kiss me. “Your family is my family now. I’m glad I was able to help.”

When we pulled up to the house, a wave of fear and anxiety hit me hard. I didn’t think I would ever return to this house. Yet here I was facing one of the biggest challenges of my life. Growing up my father and I were very close. We did everything together. Things didn’t go bad until he tried to marry me off to a man twice my age for financial gain. 

Sidney rubbed his thumb across me knuckles as I stared blankly at the house. “Do you need a minute?” he asked.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m fine,” I assured. I wasn’t, but I had to figure out how to be fine. We got out of the car and walked up to the house. Sidney held my hand tightly as if he knew I would need his support. I swallowed hard as I hesitated to knock on the door. For some reason, it seemed odd to knock. This was my home, but it wasn’t anymore. 

“Charlotte!” my mother gasped when she opened the door. She reached and hugged me tightly. My siblings appeared from all corners of the house coming to see me. They all looked so different than from the last time I saw them. I hugged all of them one by one and was overwhelmed with joy to see all of them. “What on earth are you doing here?” 

“I thought it might be a good time to come see everyone,” I said.

“And who might this be?” my mother asked of Sidney, changing the subject. 

“Sidney Parker, ma’am,” he graciously introduced himself and extended a hand towards her. She shook his hand then he placed an arm around my waist as if to support me, but also make it perfectly clear who exactly he was.

“I see,” my mother said with a grin on her face. “It’s not often we get to meet friends of Charlotte’s. You must be pretty special to her.”

I rolled my eyes. I suspected she already had an inkling of why we were here.

“Freddie, go get your father,” she ordered. My brother ran out of the door and into the field. My mother offered us some tea or coffee and asked us to sit down. 

“Everything still looks the same,” I said, trying to start up a conversation as we sat down and drank the tea. 

“Not much use in changing things,” my mother said. “I’m surprised Alison didn’t return with you. I’m still shocked she ran away the same way you did.”

“She ran away for different reasons than I did. I’m not condoning what she did, but there’s reasons why we both felt we had to do what we did.”

“I just hope it doesn’t rub off on your siblings and they all think when things get tough the best thing to do is run away. I assume Alison told you about our financial troubles,” my mother said.

I got the sense she thought Alison ran because of the money. “She did. Alison is fine, by the way. She has moved in with Clara and is looking for a job. She’s happy to be starting a life of her own.”

“If Alison is living with Clara, where do you live?” she asked. Before I could answer, my father walked through the door. He gave me a hesitant look as if he wanted to hug me, but he was concerned I wouldn’t accept him. I decided to meet him halfway and hugged him tightly. I whispered in his ear how much I missed him. I introduced Sidney, and they shook hands politely. I could sense Sidney’s nervousness but could also sense my father’s interest in who this man was. 

“Charlotte was just telling us that Alison has moved in with Clara and was about to tell us where she is living now,” my mother explained to my father.

I hesitated for a moment and glanced towards Sidney. He gave me a smile and raised an eyebrow. “I live with Sidney now,” I said. “We’ve been pretty much living together for a couple months now and got engaged on Christmas.”

“Engaged!” both my parents said in unison. 

“That’s not what I was expecting. Are you sure you’re ready for marriage?” my mother asked.

“It’s a big step,” my father added.

I scoffed and shook my head. “You both thought I was ready to be married when I was eighteen. Why now are you acting like I’m not ready?”

“Yes, but Mr. Howard could have taken care of you. He was financially stable enough to support you,” my father said. “What do you do, Mr. Parker?”

Sidney smirked and glanced at me. “I’m a fireman.”

“A fireman!” my mother gasped. “Isn’t that a dangerous job?”

“It can be at times, but I have a great team,” Sidney answered.

“Does it pay well?” my father asked.

“Dad!” 

“I just want to make sure you’ll be well cared for,” he said.

“For your information, I’m more than capable of taking care of myself. I’ve been doing it for almost five years. Sidney doesn’t need to take care of me,” I shouted. 

Sidney rubbed my shoulders trying to calm me the best he could. “I assure you. Charlotte will be just fine. We will take care of each other.”

I took a sip of my tea and suddenly both parents noticed the large ring on my finger. “Did you buy that ring on credit?” my father asked. “That thing must have cost a fortune.”

Sidney laughed and shook his head. I was absolutely mortified by the way they were both acting. “No. I bought it outright,” he answered. 

“Are you pregnant?” my mother asked.

“What?” I gasped. How did she know?

“I can’t imagine you getting married to anyone if there wasn’t a reason for it. You must be pregnant. There’s no other explanation.”

“Being in love isn’t an explanation enough?”

“You’re so young, Charlotte. What could you possibly know about love? I just don’t want you to end up the same way we did. We got married young because I got pregnant. Now we can barely stay afloat and are at risk of losing the house.”

“In other words, it’s my fault your life was ruined,” I cried. I was done visiting them. I wanted to leave as quickly as I could. 

There was a sudden ringing from the phone, thankfully breaking up the tension that was building. My father answered and talked to someone tensely on the phone for a moment. When he got off the color left his face. 

“What is it?” my mother asked.

“That was the bank,” my father said. 

My mother gasped and brought her hand to her mouth as if trying not to cry. “How long do we have?”

“The debts been paid in full. There’s even money in our bank account to cover other costs,” he said.

“How can that be?” my mother asked.

“An anonymous donor came in and paid everything.” 

“My prayers have been answered!” my mother shouted happily. “It’s a Christmas miracle.” 

My father thought on it for a moment before sitting down again. “It had to have been Mr. Howard. I don’t know anyone else with that type of money.”

“You think?” my mother questioned. 

“Who else could it be?” 

“He’s always been so kind to us,” my mother added before turning her attention towards me. “I do wish things could have worked out between the two of you, Charlotte. He adored you. Given the fact he still helped us out, I imagine he still does.”

“Are you serious?” I said laughing at the ridiculousness. “I’m getting married and all you can think about is how I should have married someone else?”

“I just meant he deserves more than we can ever offer him,” she excused. “We should try to do something nice for him.”

“Obviously, since you can’t offer him your daughter,” I said rolling my eyes. Sidney sighed next to me and rubbed my shoulder.

I stood up and looked at both of them angrily. “This will probably be the last time I visit. Since I’m under no misconception of what you think of me, don’t bother coming to the wedding.” I reached into my purse and pulled out a folded-up piece of paper that had the ultrasound photos copied on it. “Also, don’t expect to be a part of your grandchild’s life.” I took Sidney’s hand and started to lead him out. “Oh, and one more thing. If you’re going to thank anyone for paying off your debt, you can thank Sidney. You’re welcome.” 

“Charlotte!” my father yelled out. I didn’t want to stop, but I did. I grumbled and turned around to face them. “I’m sorry. We should have supported you. We just don’t want you to end up like we did.”

“As you can see, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I’ve done a good job of it so far. Alison will do just as well. If there’s anything you have taught us, it’s that you have to work hard for what you have. Alison will do the same and she will make it on her own. Any of our other siblings are welcome to find us if they ever want to look for their own way in life. But don’t contact me or Sidney about help. If you can’t figure it out on your own now that everything is paid, I don’t know how to help any of you anymore.”

Sidney and I left the house. I cried most of the way home. Sidney tried to be as supportive as possible, but it wasn’t helping. 

I had worked myself up so much that Sidney had to pull over on the side of the road so I could puke. I sat in the cold grass along the road and continued to cry.  
“Do you need to talk to Clara? Alison even?” he asked.

“No,” I cried.

He sat down next to me and put his arm around me. “I feel terrible. I shouldn’t have encouraged you to go back to see them. I thought it would be different.”

“You feel terrible?” I said. “I can’t even begin to tell you how mortified I am at how they treated you and the things they said right in front of you. Why on earth would you want to marry into this family after seeing how they really are?”

“Thankfully for me, I’m not marrying your family. I’m marrying you. I love you. I’m not bothered by what your parents said. To be honest, I didn’t disagree with everything they were saying. If it was my daughter, I’d want to know the man she was planning to marry could take care of her. I’d want to know that she wasn’t going to live a life of struggle.”

“If it was my daughter, I’d want to know she could provide for herself and not depend on a man to take care of her,” I argued.

He nodded his head and smirked. “Very true. I want the same. I want that for any and all children we have. They are going to have a very strong mother who is going to show them just how strong they can be. Maybe one of them will follow in my footsteps and want to become a fireman.”

I laughed and leaned against his shoulder. “I think there’s a high probability of at least one child following in your footsteps. It runs in the family after all.” 

He laughed. “I just don’t want to screw up raising my kids. I think that’s my biggest fear about becoming a father,” he admitted.

“Is that what you think of me? Do you think my parents screwed me up?” I asked starting to cry again.

He tightened his arms around me. “No. Not at all. On the contrary, even though they might not know how best to express it, I think they did a pretty good job of raising some smart and resilient kids. Their two eldest daughters seem to be doing just fine figuring life out on their own. I don’t think they could have done that if it wasn’t for good parents showing them how to take care of themselves.”

“I suppose I should thank them for at least teaching us how to fend for ourselves when they screw up,” I said.

He chuckled and kissed me on the forehead. “Exactly.” I leaned against him again and closed my eyes, letting myself rest for a moment. He rubbed my arm trying to comfort me and reassure me he was by my side through all of it. “How many children do you want?” he asked. “Realistically, have you thought about it?”

I groaned, feeling sick to my stomach again. “At this point, I want one. What this little thing has put me through so far, I don’t think I could do it a second time. Although, as soon as I hold this baby, I’m sure I’ll change my mind and be willing to do it all over again. What about you? Have you given any thought to how many kids you want?”

“I think I’d like to have at least two. But I’d be happy with as many as we’re blessed with. Tom and Mary have four. My own parents had four.”

“Since your family is big on the traditions, I suppose that must mean you want four,” I teased, bumping his shoulder with mine.

He laughed and bumped my shoulder back. “We are going to need a big house. Which reminds me, I talked to the realtor handling the sale of the other house. She’s planning to come out tomorrow to take some pictures of the house we currently live in to put it on the market. If you want, we could go look at some houses tomorrow.”

“That sounds like fun. It would be nice to get out and do something for us for a change,” I said. 

“I agree,” he said, standing to his feet and helping me up also. “Now let’s get home. I’m tired after this exhausting day and I think you need some rest too.”

The next morning we quickly cleaned up the house and made sure everything looked nice before the realtor came to take pictures of the house. She was nice enough and answered all the questions we had about selling two homes. Then we followed her to a couple listings of houses. She showed us around the first one, but it was much smaller than even the house we were currently living in. She brought us to a couple other houses that we didn’t care for at all.

When we pulled up to the next house, I was in awe of how big it was. The outside was beautiful. It almost seemed like too much house for us to manage. The realtor showed us in, and the inside was even better than the outside. There was a nice big living room with floor to ceiling windows, a large kitchen and separate dining room. The master bedroom was on the main floor with a small sitting area that would be perfect for a nursery. Upstairs were four more bedrooms and a rather large finished attic space. Even the backyard was nice. 

“This is really nice,” Sidney said to the realtor. 

“It does seem big enough,” I added.

She told us a bit more about the house before leaving us alone to explore on our own a little. I wrapped my arms around Sidney and gave him a hopeful grin. “You really like this one, don’t you?” he asked.

“I do. It’s perfect, Sidney. It has everything we would need plus more. Can we afford it?” I asked.

“Yes,” he laughed. “Anything you want. I like this house too. It’s not far from the station, it’s got a lot of space for plenty of future children.” He leaned in and gave me a playful kiss. “Plus, it’s got a pretty nice treehouse already installed in the backyard.”

I glanced out the window noticing the treehouse for the first time. I laughed and nodded my head. “That does pretty much sell it for you, doesn’t it?”

“What sells it is seeing you happy. If this is what you want, we will put in an offer right now,” he said.

“This is the one I want.” He gave me another kiss before taking my hand and walking me back outside to talk to the realtor. Sidney put in an offer and we were told all we had to do now was wait. I was hopeful we wouldn’t have to wait too long, but we were told it could take a few days to hear something back.

We went out to an early dinner after we put in the offer and talked about what we would do with the house. Where we would put things and how we would decorate. I had lots of ideas, especially for the baby.

“Sidney,” I began after we had finished eating and were done discussing decorating ideas. “I’ve never bothered to ask, it’s truly none of my business, but how much money does your family actually have?”

He smirked and reached for my hands across the table. “It’s very old money that extends back to the early eighteen-hundreds when this town was first being built. The man who built it was a distant relative. The money has passed along from generation to generation through the years and has grown with the development of the town. My great aunt was the last one to live in the home my parents do now. She was never married and had no children. The closest relative was my grandmother, her sister. They were very close sisters and did practically everything together. When my grandmother fell in love with a fireman, her sister was furious. She thought she should have married better and they barely spoke for nearly twenty years. Eventually, my mother was the only one my aunt would let into her life. My mother was the one who took care of her in her last days. Instead of passing the money to her sister, my grandmother, she passed it to my mother. Of course, my grandmother was furious. My aunt made sure there was no possible way her sister would ever lay a hand on the money. There was a lot of drama in the family. My mother never wanted the responsibility of the family money and found what my aunt did to her sister to be harsh. Out of rebellion, my mother did the next best thing.” Sidney smirked and tilted her head. “She fell in love with a fireman.” I snorted a laugh at the irony. “Anyway, my mother took care of her parents even though they couldn’t ever touch the money. There were loopholes to that stipulation, so everyone was well cared for.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” I pointed out. “If you don’t feel comfortable telling me, it’s alright. I can just continue to be in the dark about it.”

Sidney laughed and ducked his head. “It’s millions,” he said nervously. 

I coughed and stared at him with wide eyes. “Millions? Plural?”

He looked down nervously. “Our mother gave all her children a large trust fund when we turned twenty-one. Even though we knew we had money growing up, we were never brought up to depend on it. We were brought up to be humble and work for what we have. We were given multiple opportunities to help others and give of ourselves. It’s how my parents wanted us to grow up. It’s why I do what I do today.”

“I’d say your parents did a pretty good job,” I said with a smile. “I want that for our own children too. I noticed how Tom and Mary only gave their children a few gifts each and nothing was extravagant. Everything was rather simple. I want that for our kids.”

He nodded his head and grinned. “So do I.”

“Good,” I said, thankful we were both on the same page.

“Let’s go home,” he said, standing from his chair and reaching for my hand. “I think we have some celebrating to do.”

We headed home and found Eliza sitting on our porch when we pulled up in front of the house. She was a mess. Clearly, she had been crying and looked as though she had a rough day. Sidney grumbled when he parked the car. “Now what?”

We got out of the car and walked hand in hand up to the door. Eliza stood up and collided into Sidney to hug him. He attempted to push her away, but she wouldn’t let go. “He cheated on me!” she blurted. “We are weeks from getting married and I found out he’s been cheating on me for months.” 

Sidney glanced at me and rolled his eyes. “Eliza, why don’t you come inside and have a drink,” I offered. Sidney looked at me with wide eyes as if questioning what I was doing. I gave him a sympathetic look. She finally released Sidney and walked into the house, sniffling and wiping her face with the back of her hand. 

She sat down in a chair and continued to cry. I went into the kitchen and poured her a drink and got one for Sidney too. I got myself just a glass of water. Sidney didn’t sit down until I came over and pulled him with me to sit on the couch. 

“I can’t believe he would do this to me. We were supposed to be married. Everything is paid for and planned out. Do you have any idea how devastating it is to find out the person you thought you could trust the most cheated on you?”

Sidney scoffed at her words. Even I was appalled at what she said. “I wouldn’t have the slightest idea how that feels,” Sidney said sarcastically.

She suddenly got very defensive. “It was different with us. You had already started to pull away from me. We hadn’t been close in years. We barely spoke to each other.”

Sidney scoffed again getting angrier by the minute. “You started to pull away. You didn’t want to be close to me. You wanted to spend time with friends rather than with me. You cheated on me while I was about to buy you a ring.”

“Stop making everything my fault!” she shouted. “Do you not see how upset I am? Why would you do that?”

“Typical,” Sidney said angrily. “Make yourself the victim while everyone around you is purposely out to get you.”

I placed my hand on Sidney’s chest trying to stop him from saying anything more. I knew he wanted to. Instead, he downed his drink. Her eyes fixated on my hand, noticing the ring on my finger. “Are you?” she asked, leaving the question unfinished.

“Yes, we are,” Sidney answered. “We’re getting married, moving, and having a baby.”

Her eyes grew wide. “You’re having a baby?” she asked in shock. “This coming from the man who repeatedly told me he didn’t want kids?”

I was shocked at this new revelation. All along he seemed excited about the baby. We had even talked about having more kids in the future. I wondered if what he was telling me was actually what he wanted. I looked at him with questioning eyes. He knew exactly what I was thinking.

“I never wanted to have kids with you,” he said. “I knew you weren’t the mothering type.”

“Yet this girl you’ve only known for a couple months is the mothering type and marrying type?” she asked sarcastically. “We were together for six years and you still never bought me a ring. Yet this girl walks in and you’re planning to change your entire life around for her.”

“Yes. I am,” he said very matter-of-factly. “I love her. I’m sorry, Eliza. I know it probably upsets you, but I wasted six years of my life with someone I don’t think I ever truly loved. I don’t think you ever loved me either. You loved the lifestyle I provided you. My life is different with Charlotte. She doesn’t treat me like all I am is a bank account. We have respect for each other. That’s something I never had with you.”

Sidney took my hand in his and gave me a smile as if trying to reassure me. I felt sorry for Eliza. It seemed as though everything was falling apart for her. But I also thought she sort of deserved it. Sidney had every right to be upset with her.

Eliza began to cry more. “You have taken everything from me. Do you not understand how much you’ve hurt me? I have no money, I’m losing my home, I have now lost my fiancé. I have nothing left. Those six years of my life were wasted too.”

“Then I guess it’s good we both got out before it got worse,” Sidney said. He seemed to have no sympathy for her. I knew she sort of deserved what she got, but I did feel slightly bad for her. 

She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands before getting up and leaving angrily. She slammed the door on her way out and we heard her car screech away. Sidney sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead with his fingers as if he was frustrated. I gently rubbed his back trying to calm him. He sat up and looked towards me before placing his hand on my leg. “Are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” I assured him. “Are you alright?”

He groaned and leaned back against the couch. “I’m tired of her always thinking that I’m going to fix everything for her when her life is in shambles. I don’t want to be that person anymore.”

“You said some pretty harsh things to her tonight. I highly doubt she’s going to be bothering you anymore,” I said. 

“Was I too harsh?” he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Honestly, she probably deserved it. I think some of what you said were things you needed to get off your chest and work through. But I think she’s already in so much distress that it might have made her feel even worse about herself.”

He groaned again as if he was feeling guilty for what he said. “She’s been like this forever. She’s always the victim, always the one who is being hurt. She never sees what she did wrong. There’s a reason I never wanted to have kids with her.”

I dropped my head, thinking on the revelation of him not wanting kids. “Sidney, I know we already discussed this, and you seem thrilled, but what she said has me thinking. Are you honestly happy about the baby?”

He pulled me into his arms holding me tightly. “I couldn’t be happier. I meant what I said. Things are different with you. I can see a future with you. A life full of happiness and a family we will raise and support together. I could never picture any of that with her. I’m so excited to start going to all the doctor appointments with you and going to ultrasounds. I’m looking forward to moving and setting up a nursery. I can’t wait to hold our baby in my arms. I can’t wait to play with them and show them the world. It’s something I always thought was a fantasy I’d never have. But with you, that dream is coming true.”

He kissed me and held me close. I rested my head against his shoulder feeling better after his reassurance. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep. The next thing I knew, I was being carried to the bedroom and placed under the blankets. Sidney kissed the side of my head and whispered he loved me against my ear. 

In the morning, I woke up to find Sidney gone. He left me a note telling me he headed to work but didn’t want to wake me. On his pillow was a box wrapped with a bow. I smiled when I saw it and read the tag with my name on it. I opened it up and inside was a beautiful baby book. Inside the book, Sidney had already placed our baby’s first picture in it as well as wrote the story of how we met and fell in love and wrote a sweet little message for the baby from his father. I was a total mess while reading what he had written about how excited he was to be a father. How excited he was to start a family. How he was thrilled that our baby was going to have the best mom in the world. He even drew a picture of a firetruck on the inside cover; a hidden talent I never knew he had. I wondered what other talents he had that I would discover through the years.

I looked through the book and read what he had written multiple times before adding some of my own comments and information inside. I texted him and thanked him for the gift. 

During the day, I called multiple people. I called my boss at the bookstore and explained my reason for needing to quit. He didn’t seem that surprised as he suspected I was pregnant after seeing the shape I was in those last days leading up to Christmas. I didn’t realize I was so bad off that people around me could tell. I did mention my sister who was looking for a job if he was interested in filling my spot. He told me to send her in for an application. 

I called Alison to check in on her and let her know about the opening at the bookstore. She seemed excited and told me she was planning to go out with Crowe the next day to put in some more applications for jobs. I was still a little apprehensive about her seeing Crowe, but I had to let her live her life. 

I called Clara next to check in and see how things were going. She said living with Alison was going to take some getting used to, but they were getting along fairly well. She suspected once Alison found a job, things would work out better. She also told me she had been talking to Stringer on the phone and was really enjoying their conversations. They had plans to get together, which she seemed super excited about. I’d never seen her so excited about a date before. She also wanted to know when we were going to go wedding dress shopping. The thought made me nauseous. I didn’t like to shop and being pregnant while wedding dress shopping seemed extremely miserable. I told her I’d let her make those arrangements.

I ignored the multiple calls from my mother. I just didn’t want that type of drama anymore. I had done what I could to help my family. That was all I could give my energy to anymore.

I also called a few clients who were looking for photos to be done. I was super excited about one of them as it was a wedding in March. I was hopeful I would be feeling better by then and would be able to do my job well. I also thought I might be able to pick up a few ideas for my own wedding. I wasn’t the event planner type and didn’t even know where to begin. The only thing I was sure of, is I wanted a small wedding. 

I had to look at my calendar and mark off a few months that I was sure I would be too pregnant to do photoshoots and also a pretty large chunk of time after the baby would be born. The thought of having a baby was still taking some time to get used to. 

The next day, I got up early anticipating Sidney’s arrival. I stripped the bed of the sheets and put on the firetruck sheets I had gotten him for Christmas. I thought it would be fun and probably get a laugh out of him. I wondered what he would say and if he would think it silly. I sat on the couch and waited for him to return. 

As soon as I heard the key enter the doorknob, I hopped up and ran over to the door. He walked through the door and I collided into him, kissing him hard and excitedly. He laughed against my lips but pulled me close to his body, leaning over me and kissing me with just as much enthusiasm. 

“You seem to be in a good mood,” he said. “Feeling better?”

“Yesterday was a good day. Today, so far has been a good day. I’m tired all the time, but the nausea is letting up a little.”

He gave me another quick kiss. “I’m happy to hear it. I’ve been worried about you. I almost didn’t go to work yesterday.”

“I was thinking about making some breakfast. Do you want some pancakes?” I asked.

“Sounds wonderful,” he said, giving me another kiss. “I’m going to take a quick shower while you’re getting stuff ready.”

He released me and headed off towards the bedroom while I headed into the kitchen getting the ingredients out to make pancakes. 

When Sidney came into the kitchen dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants, I was just beginning to put dollops of the batter onto the skillet. He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. He took my hand and guided it with his to drop another spoonful of the batter on the skillet. “I like the sheets,” he whispered against my ear.

I laughed and turned my head to look at him. “I figured it was time we used them.”

“I agree. They make the whole room more enjoyable,” he laughed. I turned back to the pancakes cooking and flipped a couple of them. “I also enjoy coming home in the morning and finding you here. It definitely makes coming home worth it.”

“I’m sure in a few months when you come home to a screaming baby and an exhausted wife, you might change your mind,” I teased.

He grinned happily. “I like the way you say that. Wife. I’m looking forward to making that a reality.” He kissed my neck while I attended to the pancakes. “And I won’t change my mind. It’s all I can think about.”

I placed the finished pancakes on a plate and spooned on more batter for the next batch. Sidney walked over to the table and put a couple plates out for us and poured us some juice. He grabbed the bottle of vitamins off the counter and placed them next to where I would sit at the table. Once the rest of the pancakes were done, I brought the plate to the table and sat down across from Sidney. He grabbed a couple pancakes off the stack while I only took one to start with. I didn’t want to overdo it if my stomach couldn’t tolerate the pancakes. It sounded good, but once I started eating, my stomach might change its mind.

“Since you brought it up, I’ve been thinking about us getting married,” he began in between bites. 

“Have you?” I said.

He nodded his head and took another bite, before looking at me across the table. “I want to be married before the baby comes. I would be happy getting married in a month or two if you’re up to it. I know you mentioned something small and I am perfectly fine with that. I’m sure my family will think differently, but they don’t need to invite a ton of people I don’t even know. I was thinking a simple wedding then a small reception at my parent’s home. What do you think?”

“That actually sounds perfect. I have an idea where we could have it. It’s also something I wanted to ask you about.”

“Alright,” he said, leaning back in his chair. 

“I was thinking about the ruins of the castle. It would be the perfect spot for a small wedding.”

He thought about it for a moment before answering. “That’s not a bad idea. My only concern is the weather. I’m sure we can figure something out.”

“We will just have to hope for the best, but have a backup plan just in case,” I added. “It’s so pretty there and I love the historical element of the castle. Plus being right on the cliffs of the ocean just makes it magical. Nothing would have to be done to make it perfect for a wedding other than bringing in some chairs.”

“Yeah, it’s actually a brilliant idea. That area hasn’t been used for anything for years. My parents have had people come in to preserve the ruins, but they are so worried about people destroying it, they don’t let anyone near there. It would be nice to show it off a little.” 

“Then I suppose the next part of my plan might be out of the question,” I said.

“What plan?” he asked hesitantly. 

I waited a moment, looking at him uneasily. “I was hoping to ask if I could use the area to take photos. It would be a great backdrop for so many different styles. I could do family shoots, kids, engagement, even weddings.” He didn’t say anything at first. I was worried he would be upset. “I understand it’s a lot to ask and probably something you would have to talk to your parents about first. I would be very careful not to disturb the integrity of the structure. I wouldn’t even step foot on the ruins if you didn’t want me to. I could simply take photos in the grass with the castle in the background or even the ocean as the background. If you don’t want me to, I completely understand. It is a lot to ask and a huge risk to take that someone won’t disturb anything.”

He smirked and watched me intently while I outwardly worried about his response. “Charlotte, I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’ll need to talk to my parents about it, obviously. I just love seeing you so passionate about what you do. You see the beauty in everything around you. It’s mesmerizing at times.”

I shrugged it off as nothing. “I guess it’s just who I am.”

He reached across the table and took my hands in his. “It’s one of the many things I love about you.”

We were silent for a moment, just enjoying our hands connected from across the table. After a few minutes, we got up and washed the dishes from breakfast together. It was strange how easily we had settled into a life of living together and just doing normal things like making breakfast, washing dishes, making the bed. I liked how comfortable we had become.

When we finished with the dishes, I watched Sidney put the last dish in the cupboard and admired the way the muscles in his arms flexed with his reach. He noticed me watching him and smirked. My mouth hung open and my chest heaved with heavy breaths. A rush of heat filled my body. He sauntered over to me rather slowly and rubbed my arms. He licked his bottom lip while watching me. I tilted my head up towards him to kiss him. Our lips met with a built-up passion neither of us were prepared for. He lifted me and placed me on the countertop, before tangling his fingers in my hair. 

“Can we go to bed?” I whispered against his lips.

He pulled away and stared at me as if questioning my request. “Are you sure?” he asked. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

I giggled and leaned into him for another small kiss. “You didn’t seem worried about hurting me at Christmas.” He hummed, clearly remembering our time in the treehouse. He leaned in and kissed me again, pulling my hips to the edge of the counter so I came flush against the hard cock in his pants. I whimpered at the need for him building inside of me. “You’ve barely touched me since then.”

“You’ve been under a lot of stress the last few days, along with feeling sick. I didn’t want to cause anymore tension,” he said with worry in his tone.

I grinned and leaned into him to kiss him again. “You do know sex can be a stress reliever, right?”

He chuckled lightly before kissing me again and pulling my shirt over the top of my head. He quickly went to work on kissing my neck and chest, leaning me over the counter to take advantage of the angle to suckle my breasts and kiss my tummy. I sat up and removed his shirt, tossing it to the ground and taking advantage of the moment to kiss him again. He picked me up in his arms as if I weighed nothing and carried me to the bedroom. Very gently, he placed me on the bed and crawled over top of me, kissing me even deeper and letting our desire take over. He sat up and pulled my pajama bottoms off of me, exposing my naked body. He let his fingers trail across my naked skin for a few moments while watching me squirm under his touch. Just as he came down to kiss my lips again, his phone rang. We both groaned at the sound and at first tried to ignore it, but it was in his pocket and causing a nuisance between us.

He sat up on the edge of the bed and took the phone out of his pocket to see who it was. “I’ll just be a minute,” he said, answering the phone. I listened as he said a few words but didn’t seem to be ending the call quickly. I didn’t know who it was, but I thought I should remind him why he needed to get off the phone. I crawled into his lap and started to kiss his neck and shoulder. I dragged my tongue along his stubbly chin while my fingers traced along his muscular chest. I freed his bulging cock from his sweatpants and placed my hand around it. I looked at his face with a smirk on mine. He was doing everything in his power not to lose it on the phone. 

I leaned into his other ear and whispered for him to hang up the phone. He didn’t though and kept humming responses into the phone. I slid off his lap and kneeled in front of him, watching his face the entire time. I yanked on his sweatpants, pulling them the rest of the way off. I licked my lips before swirling my tongue around the tip of his cock. His eyes shut tightly, and his jaw clenched while he answered whoever was on the phone with a forced hum. I took advantage and sucked his cock between my lips, working my tongue along the backside while I moved up and down. I watched as Sidney struggled to keep control while on the phone. I kept going. He finally hung up and threw the phone on the floor beside me. I released him from my mouth and sat up on my knees between his legs with a raised eyebrow. I wanted an explanation of what was so important, he couldn’t hang up.

“You are wicked!” he said with gasps of air. “God, Charlotte. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to talk to our realtor again without thinking of this encounter.”

“Our realtor?” I said, intrigued now about the conversation. “What did she say?”

He smirked. “Perhaps I should be just as wicked and not tell you.”

“Sidney!” I shouted, climbing back up into his lap. 

He chuckled and held me tightly around the waist. I waited expectantly for him to tell me. “There’s some people who want to look at the house today,” he said. I grumbled and felt deflated. If people were coming to look at the house, we probably had to stop and make everything look presentable. “Relax, I requested that they come later this afternoon. I need a few hours first.”

He slowly kissed me, letting our mouths explore the other. His hard cock still hung between my legs, twitching with want against me. I had worked him up nearly to the edge. I grinded my hips into his, feeling the warm pool of liquid building between my legs. He held onto my waist with one arm and carefully rolled me onto the bed, hovering over me while he continued to kiss me. Slowly, his cock found its target and slid inside of me. I moaned and arched into him longing to be deeper. He moved slowly, taking his time to slide in and out of me all while claiming my lips with his and enjoying our connection. Our moans and cries of pleasure filled the room. It didn’t take me long before I came. I dug my fingertips into his muscular back and tightened my legs around his hips desperate for more. 

He never disappointed me. Even though I knew he was struggling to hold on, he kept pressing into me and pushing deeper and deeper, causing me to lose all control. With a loud scream, I came again just as he collapsed on top of me with his own release. Both of us were panting and trying desperately to catch our breath. He kissed my lips again before rolling to his side. 

“It’s a good thing you haven’t unpacked all your stuff yet,” he said breathlessly. I rolled over and curled up into his side. He instinctively wrapped his arm around me and rubbed my back. 

“Why is that?” I wondered. 

“Less to pack when we move.”

“Good point.”

“I wonder what it’s going to be like,” he said.

“Is what going to be like?” I asked. 

Tightening his arm around me and rubbing my back, he looked at me with a grin on his face. “I wonder what it’s going to be like to make love to you in our new house,” he said.

I gave him a questioning look. “Our new house?” I asked.

“Did I not tell you?” he asked. “Maybe I was too distracted by a pair of beautiful lips wrapped around my cock.”

I sat up and stared down at him expectantly. “Did we?”

He grinned happily and nodded his head. “Our offer was accepted on the house.”

I screamed excitedly. I loved that house and was looking forward to making it ours. “Why didn’t you tell me? When can we move in?”

Sidney sat up on the bed, so we were face to face. “There’s still a lot of things that need to be put in place. There’s paperwork and inspections that have to be done. But the first step is official. I’m supposed to get an email with all the details of where we go from here. It was a little difficult to concentrate on what she was saying on the phone.”

I gave him a sheepish grin and crawled into his lap. “I highly doubt you minded all that much.”

He chuckled and tightened his arms around me. “I didn’t mind at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Crowe and Alison are my go-to pairing. I'm not a fan of her being with Stringer like everyone else. I'm a fan of going against the masses. Sorry if no one agrees. I'm planning to write a fic specifically for Alison and Crowe at some point.
> 
> I think I only have about 4 more chapters to write of this story. I'll then be venturing into writing an alternative second season by request. It'll be different than the second season I wrote originally, and definitely a different concept than most stories, but I think it'll be good. I also just finished Hold My Hand and have been writing up an outline for another regency era fic. I have plenty of ideas to keep all of you entertained until we get that second season and probably long after.


	11. Chapter 11

On New Year’s Eve, even though we were invited to multiple parties we decided to stay home. I was not in the mood to go out and we had other ways of celebrating the start of a new year. It was strange for us to think about. In this new year, we were going to be moving into a home we picked out together, we would be getting married, and we would become parents. So much was about to happen whether we liked it or not. 

Sidney and I talked a lot about becoming parents. It had become nearly the only topic of discussion anymore. We were both extremely excited, but overwhelmingly nervous as well. We both had our share of knowledge caring for children since I spent most of my younger years helping with my siblings while Sidney helped with his nieces and nephews quite often. He was also very knowledgeable when it came to delivering a baby. He probably had more experience with that part of pregnancy than I did. I was never allowed to attend one of the births of my younger siblings. I remembered with one of the younger ones I wanted to be there so badly to see what it was like to deliver a baby, but my parents forbid me from coming. Instead, I stayed home watching all the other children until they were able to come home from the hospital. 

“Be honest, do you want a girl or a boy?” I asked. 

He smirked and leaned across the bed to give me a kiss. “We have plenty of time to have one or two or even more of each. We don’t need to worry about what the gender of the baby is now.”

“I’m just curious if you have a preference.”

“I honestly don’t care. You keep asking, but I’ll be happy with either. I just want you and the baby to be safe.”

“We have our first appointment with the doctor next week. I’m not sure what to expect,” I said. 

“Let’s check the book,” Sidney said, laughing. He grabbed the book off his nightstand and thumbed though it until he came to the section about prenatal visits. I was to expect my blood pressure taken, a urine sample taken, a measurement of my growing belly, and of course, the doppler reading of the baby’s heartbeat. I was most excited for Sidney to hear the heartbeat. I got to see it for a moment on the screen during the scan when I initially found out about the baby, but this was going to be even more special. This time Sidney would get to hear it too. I knew he was fairly excited about that fact and talked about buying a doppler to have at home quite a bit. 

We talked about the theme of the baby’s room and what color to paint the walls. We had sort of come to a stalemate about that detail. I wanted to paint the room a neutral, cheery and bright color like yellow or even a pale orange, while Sidney thought we should paint it blue for a boy and pink for a girl. I hated the idea. It was such a cliché thing to do. I was not about to follow the trend of predisposing my child in society determined colors. It was truly mine and Sidney’s first argument and thankfully a small one that was easily worked out. We came to an agreement that we would do all three colors; pink, blue, and yellow. We weren’t sure exactly how to incorporate all three colors, but we were determined to make it work. 

“I can’t wait to hear the baby’s heartbeat,” I said. 

“I’m excited to actually feel the baby kick,” he said placing his hand against my tummy. I laid back on the pillow and smiled as he rubbed my stomach. “I plan to attend every appointment with you and be part of the entire process.”

I bit my lip, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world to have someone so dedicated to me and our child. “I’m so thankful to have you. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been so welcoming to the thought of us having a baby.”

“Are you kidding?” he laughed, resting on his elbow next to me. “This is all I’ve ever wanted. A woman who understands me and loves me for me, not my money. A woman who wants to make a family with me and wants us to be just a normal family without all the pretenses having money comes with it. A woman who still has goals and ambitions despite not needing them. I admire your determination to become something more. I have the same ambitions, just in a different line of work.”

“At least my line of work won’t get me killed,” I reminded. 

He rolled his eyes and swirled a strand of my hair around his finger. “I’m not going to get killed. I have faith in my team. They know what they’re doing, and we all keep each other safe. You could just as easily get hurt at a photoshoot. A mugging, losing your footing and falling off a cliff while trying to get the perfect shot, getting in a car accident on your way to a shoot. So many things could happen. If I had my way, I’d put you and our child in a bubble,” he teased.

I laughed and playfully slapped him across the chest. “If I go in a bubble, so do you.”

“Deal!” he agreed, causing both of us to laugh. “Just think, we can walk around the house in our bubbles, bumping into each other and seeing whose bubble is stronger.”

“A bubble would make certain activities less enjoyable if not entirely impossible,” I reminded seductively, wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling him closer to me for a kiss. 

“You are right about that,” he agreed. “Perhaps we can remove the bubble while at home in our private little sanctuary.”

I sighed, thinking about the house we were hoping to move into. “I hope nothing goes wrong with the house and we are able to get it.”

“I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” Sidney assured. “Once you start waving money around, things usually go your way.”

“As far as moving, can I start packing things up? Do you mind?” I asked.

“Of course, you can. Just please don’t overdo it. You need to take your time and not do anything too strenuous. I do not need to get a call stating you are in the hospital because you overworked yourself and now you and the baby are in distress,” he said.

“I won’t overwork myself. I’d just like to start getting things ready for when that time comes,” I said. “Plus, I need something to keep me busy while you’re at work. Since I don’t work at the bookstore anymore and taking photos during the winter months is usually on the slow side, I won’t have much else to do. I can only do so much shopping with Clara.”

Sidney chuckled. “I hear she’s taking you wedding dress shopping next week. Are you excited?”

I rolled my eyes. “Dreading it is more like it. I despise trying things on, especially dresses. She’s going to insist I try on the entire store so she can determine which dress I should wear.”

“I suppose this is the wrong time to tell you I have to attend a banquet in about a week to honor the men and women who keep our community safe.”

“Why would that upset me?” I asked.

“Because it’s a formal event. You’ll need to wear a dress,” he laughed. I liked how he just assumed I’d be attending with him. We were past the asking part of our relationship and settled into a couple with expectations of the other. He didn’t need to ask me to attend with him, he just assumed I would because we were nearly a married couple. 

“I’m sure I can find something,” I assured. “What I don’t want to do is go wedding dress shopping. I would honestly be perfectly fine getting married in a pair of jeans.”

“I would be perfectly fine with you getting married in a pair of jeans also,” Sidney agreed. “I don’t care what you wear, as long as you say, “I do.”

“I sat up and leaned over him. “I do. I do. I do.” I kissed him and pushed him back against the bed before crawling on top of him. He chuckled and placed his hands at my hips. “There’s no possible way I won’t say, “I do” when the time comes.” I kissed him again, deeper and more passionately than before. Sidney grabbed my ass and lifted me just slightly so I could settle around his cock. I moaned against his lips, beginning my rhythmic motion against him. He held my hips, helping me along, riding me up and down on his cock while I sat upright on his hips. He lifted his head and watched his cock slide in and out of me while moaning in pleasure. I closed my eyes and joined him with pleasurable moans. My mouth hung open as I started to come. Sidney dragged his thumb against my lips. I knew what he wanted. I leaned down while he met me halfway and kissed me deeply. Our moans mingled together in our connected mouths as our climaxes came closer. 

Fireworks welcoming the new year went off outside while we created our own fireworks inside. The sound of large explosions and flashes of light coming through the windows only intensified our pleasure. Our moans became louder and our movements grew more frenzied. I came against him, curling me toes and biting my lip with the amount of pleasure that rushed through my body. Sidney pulsated, shooting his hot cum inside of me. I rolled to my side and had a moment of euphoric peace. Then I had a thought, if the birth control I was on clearly didn’t work, what other birth control was available that I could try? Or was Sidney going to have to wrap it up every time? The thought of wasting time to put a condom on seemed rather daunting. I was almost certain we would end up forgetting quite regularly. I was bound to be pregnant again the moment I gave birth at this rate. I suspected Sidney’s sperm were too strong to withstand any birth control I was on.

I sighed at the thought, but Sidney was having his own moment of deep thought to even notice my sudden distress. At least I had a few months to figure out what to do. That was definitely going to be one of the top questions I asked the doctor at our first appointment. 

Sidney rolled to his side and placed his hand on my stomach. “Happy New Year. This is going to be a very busy year,” he pointed out with a chuckle. 

“Are you up for it?” I asked.

“Absolutely!” he assured. “I wouldn’t want anything less.” He leaned over further and kissed me again, bringing in the new year properly.

In the morning, Sidney headed out for work while I busied myself with the process of packing. I was trying to be extra careful with Sidney’s collection of firetrucks and wrapping them with extra padding for protection. During the day, Alison called giddy with excitement since she had landed two jobs. The first was taking over my old job at the bookstore and the second being at the pub Crowe had suggested and brought her to. She seemed to think she could handle two jobs, but I had my doubts. She also agreed to go wedding dress shopping with me and Clara. I was thankful things were starting to feel less awkward between us. She even agreed to come over and help me pack for a while. 

I told her what happened back at home and she didn’t seem surprised one bit. I guess I thought things would have been different after all these years. Apparently, I was wrong. 

“How are things going with Crowe?” I asked, changing the subject.

She grinned sheepishly as she hesitated to answer. “We went out last night for New Years. We had a really great time. He introduced me to some of his friends. Most of them were the guys he works with. I’m sure you probably already know all of them.”

“Probably,” I agreed. “And afterwards?”

“We went back to his place,” she said shrugging her shoulders like it was no big deal. 

“Are you being careful?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not dumb enough to get knocked up like you did.”

“For your information, I was on birth control. It just didn’t seem to work,” I informed. “That’s why I’m saying be careful. What if birth control doesn’t work for us? A condom might be the best bet.”

“For your information, a condom was used every time I’ve been with Crowe. Are you happy?” she asked.

“Not particularly, but it’ll suffice,” I said. 

“So, when are you and Sidney getting married?” she asked, changing the subject.

“We haven’t set a date exactly, but it’ll be soon. We want to be married before the baby comes,” I explained. “It’ll be a small affair, nothing fancy or elaborate. Just us and a few family and friends.”

“Will I be invited?” she asked.

“Of course, you will,” I said with shock in my tone. “Why wouldn’t you?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I wasn’t sure how you felt about inviting your own family. You said you didn’t have any intentions of talking to our parents anymore. I wasn’t sure how you felt about me.”

“Alison,” I began, placing my hands on hers. “I am thrilled that you’re here. I admit, I was a little shocked when you showed up and maybe even a little annoyed. I still think we have a lot of things to work through, but I’m happy you’re here and I want you to be a part of my life always.”

She smiled before giving me a hug. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to come find you. I’ve been saving money for years in the same spot you hid your money. As soon as I had enough to get here and to live off of for a while, I came searching.”

“I suspect you won’t be the last of our siblings to come looking for us,” I said. The thought did sort of make me sad, but I knew it was inevitable. Our parents, even though they loved us and supported us tremendously, they were also very controlling and demanding. We couldn’t do much for ourselves unless they approved of it first. It’s why I left, it’s why Alison left, and it’s why probably more of my siblings would potentially leave.

“Are you going to the banquet for the fireman?” Alison asked. I was surprised at first that she knew about it. But then I remembered, she was spending a lot of time with Crowe. 

“I am. Are you?” I asked.

She nodded her head. “If I don’t have to work that night, I plan to. Crowe asked me to go with him last night.”

“Things seem to be getting pretty serious then,” I pointed out. 

She shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. He still seems a little guarded at times. I’m not sure if I’m just a fling or someone he genuinely wants to be with.”

I watched how her expressions changed while talking about him. “You really like him, don’t you?” I asked.

Her breath hitched when I asked. She was not expecting me to ask such a question. I started to realize she was hiding her feelings behind a mask of indifference and hostility to protect herself. She’d probably been doing it for a long time without even realizing what she was doing. But slowly, Crowe was starting to get to her. 

“I do,” she said breaking down in tears. “I know I’m just going to get my heart broken. He’s already made it perfectly clear he’s not into long-term relationships. He’s not into being tied down to one girl. He even flirted with a girl right in front of me last night. I almost bolted right then and there. But I really like him, and I didn’t want to give up after only a couple dates.”

“Maybe, in time, you’ll change his mind. Sounds like you might already be. This banquet that’s coming up, most of the guys bring their wives or girlfriends if they have them. They don’t bring a fling along. I’d say it’s possible you might be more to him already. But again,” I started.

“I know,” she interrupted, rolling her eyes. “Be careful.”

We spent the day together and had a really nice day. It had been a long time since I was able to spend so much quality time with my sister. It seemed as though we were beginning to mend our relationship. She even had dinner with me and stayed the night. It was nice having someone to stay with me while Sidney was at work. Although, I forgot to let Sidney know she was at the house. When he got home, he thought he would crawl into bed next to me, but he was met with Alison sleeping next to me instead. He made a loud gasping noise and nearly fell backwards on the floor. Thankfully, he was able to cover up before Alison fully opened her eyes. She looked just as embarrassed as Sidney did when they realized what had happened. All I could do was laugh hysterically at the whole situation.

“I’m leaving,” Alison said, quickly throwing her shoes on and gathering up her belongings. She tried very hard not to look in Sidney’s direction. “It’s my first day at the bookstore and I want to make a good impression.”

As soon as she was gone, Sidney crawled onto the bed next to me, giving me a look of absolutely horror. “Why didn’t you warn me she was staying the night?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think about it,” I apologized. “I’ll be sure to text you next time.”

“Please do,” he asked. “That was beyond awkward.”

He settled in next to me and rested his head against my chest while I gently ran my fingers through his hair. His hand instinctively rested on my tummy where the baby was. I knew how much it excited him to be able to feel the baby move. Hopefully it wouldn’t be long, and he’d feel something. “How was your day at work?” I asked.

“Busy,” he said. “Lots of small fires all over from typical operator failure. Seems as though no one knows how to use things properly anymore.”

“We are supposed to help at the school tomorrow. Maybe today, you should get some rest,” I suggested.

He snuggled up next to me and tightened his hold around me. “I’m perfectly fine with that plan.” Within minutes, he was fast asleep, and I honestly didn’t mind sleeping the day away with him either. 

The next day, we both got up early and headed off to the school together. The rebuild had been completed and now, with the money the calendars had brought in, we were able to provide plenty of new books and the courtyard area was being dedicated to the men who helped save the school from being a total loss, but also for being so generous with helping to raise money for their school library. 

When we arrived, the truck filled with books had already arrived. All the men from the station were in attendance to help place fresh books on the shelves. I stayed close to Mary, who also came to help. We spent the day alphabetize the books before placing them on the shelves. Mrs. Griffiths, the librarian, although thankful for all our help, had a very specific way of filling the shelves with books. She seemed just a little uptight and overbearing. But Mary and I did our best to follow her specific instructions.

Sidney and the other men carried books in by the arm loads. It took us all day to get through, but everything was set, and all the books were placed on the shelves. Mrs. Griffiths and the principal, as well as many of the teachers came to thank the men who saved their school and for their dedication to helping to rebuild the library. The courtyard was revealed, and a plaque was inscribed with all the men’s names who were involved the day of the fire and all who helped contribute to fixing it. We were all allowed to walk around and see just how great the courtyard had turned out and realize how lucky the children were to have access to such a beautiful place for relaxing and reading. Sidney took my hand and led me inside. We walked around and looked at how great everything had turned out before Sidney led me to the plaque that had been hung right inside. I scanned across it and found Sidney’s name and right below his was my name, although, instead of saying Charlotte Heywood, it was listed as Charlotte Parker. “My name shouldn’t be on this,” I said.

“You were just as much a part of this as all of us were,” Sidney said. You have every right to be on this list. I hope you don’t mind that I had your name listed as a Parker. This will be here for many years to come. Even our own children will probably see it. I thought it might be fun to see both of their parent’s names listed as they properly should.”

I wrapped my arms around his middle as I admired the name I would take very soon. “I’m not a Parker yet,” I teased.

“What’s a few weeks? No one will ever know the difference,” he said, tightening his arms around me. I smiled, approving of his choice to use the name I would be taking very soon. 

A few days later, I readied myself for the banquet, dressing in the same dress I wore during our first dinner date. I was thankful it still fit considering the growing tummy. I supposed I hadn’t grown as big as I thought I had. 

Sidney was dressed in his formal fireman attire when I walked out of the bedroom in my dress. Sidney looked me up and down and then chuckled. “I’m surprised to see you wearing the same dress you wore once before.”

“This was an expensive dress,” I informed. “I need to wear it at least once more before I don’t fit it in ever again.” 

He chuckled again before giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I still think it looks better on the bedroom floor,” he whispered against my ear. 

I grinned, thinking back to that night. “Perhaps we’ll have to have a repeat of that epic night,” I suggested.

“I would like that.” He kissed me before offering me his arm and walking me out to his car.

When we arrived, I was introduced to many of the wives or girlfriends of the guys. I wasn’t surprised to see Alison on the arm of Mr. Crowe, looking quite elegant in a black dress. I was surprised to see Clara attending with Mr. Stringer though. I knew they had gone out a couple times, but she never mentioned coming to this event. I wondered why. Even Alison told me.

I walked across the room and met both Clara and Alison. “Isn’t this exciting?” Alison said. “There are so many pivotal people here among us.”

“Keep your cool, Alison,” Clara said. 

“I wasn’t aware you were coming,” I said. 

“Oh, it was a last-minute invite. James is quite shy and had a hard time getting the words out. I was only made aware of it this morning. Alison and I quickly went shopping and found the perfect dresses,” she explained. “Don’t you think?” She did a little spin so I could admire her dress.

“Seems things are working out between the two of you,” I said. 

“They are,” Clara said. “We have found we have a lot in common.”

“Excuse me,” Alison said. “I’m being summoned.” She walked across the floor and tucked her arm around Crowe’s. They did make a cute couple. 

“It does help that Alison spends almost every night at Crowe’s home,” Clara said. 

“Every night?” I asked, shocked by the news.

“Not every night. It’s pretty much the same schedule you kept when you first started dating Sidney. With him two nights, home for one, and then all over again. You two are quite similar. You even both fell for fireman,” she joked.

“I guess we are a lot alike,” I agreed. “I suppose I never noticed just how much.”

“It’s quite uncanny. Sometimes I swear it’s you still in the apartment. She has similar mannerisms and the way she does things around the apartment are just like you used to do them. I suppose the similarities have made it easier to adjust,” Clara said.

“I do want to thank you for agreeing to taking her in. I would have let her stay with me and Sidney, but she insisted she didn’t want to stay with me. I understand she needs to break those family ties even with me.”

“She’s been fine,” Clara assured. “You really don’t need to worry so much.”

“Easier said than done,” I admitted. Moments later, we were being called over to take our seats. 

We were served dinner, which I actually found appetizing before speakers got up to say a few words about each department being honored. Sidney leaned back in his chair and rested his arm across the back of my chair, occasionally rubbing my shoulders and giving me a smile. The banquet ended up being rather long. I found myself wishing it would end so we could go home. I kept yawning and tried desperately to keep my eyes open throughout the ceremony. When Sidney’s company was honored and they all stood, I found my energy once again. Only to lose it when they sat down again. 

When it finally ended, we left almost immediately. It was late in the evening and everyone was feeling the exhaustion. I could hardly keep my eyes open in the car during the drive home. When we got home, I slipped out of my shoes and started to pull pins out of my hair to let it fall loosely. 

“That was a long night,” I said.

He pulled me close to him and kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry. I should have warned you that they tend to be longwinded,” he said.

I smiled. “It’s alright. I’m glad I got to be there and see you be honored by our community.”

He tucked my wild hair behind my ears and grinned at me. “You want to get some sleep?” he asked.

“I thought you wanted to repeat the night you dropped this dress to the floor?” I reminded. As tired as I was, I would have still enjoyed it. 

“Trust me, I do,” he admitted. “But you look exhausted and if you and the baby are going to be healthy, you need to get sleep. Maybe in the morning before I leave.”

I kissed his lips and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m going to hold you to that,” I said.

“I sure hope you do.” Even if we weren’t going to be making love, he still seductively unzipped the dress and let it fall to my feet. I was picked up in his arms and gently placed on the bed. A part of me hoped he’d just continue where he started. But he didn’t. Instead, he crawled in next to me and pulled the covers over us. He tucked me into his chest and kissed me goodnight, before closing his eyes and drifting off. Even though I was exhausted, I found it hard to sleep. I wasn’t sure why. I had all these thoughts running through my mind. Thoughts of Alison and Crowe, thoughts of Clara and Stringer, thoughts of the house, thoughts of the wedding, thoughts of the baby. We hadn’t even discussed names. I wondered how difficult it would be to agree on a name. I thought of names I liked and started to put them together with Parker to see if the names fit well together. I was seriously pathetic. I was overly exhausted, but I couldn’t sleep. I finally got out of bed, trying hard not to wake Sidney and wrapped a robe around my naked body to go lie on the couch while watching TV. The thought of being naked was a new worry I had pop into my head. Sidney and I always slept naked. Once we had a baby, we probably would have to start wearing actual clothing to bed. I wondered if Sidney had even thought of that.

The drowning out of my busy and worrisome thoughts by the TV must have worked. I woke up the next morning to the TV being off and a blanket tucked around me. There was a little note sitting on the coffee table in front of me. The note read, “I take it you had a hard time sleeping last night. I didn’t want to wake you. I’ll call you later tonight. Have fun dress shopping today. Haha! I love you.”

I smiled at how sweet his note was, but sort of groaned at the thought of going dress shopping. Just as I was checking the time, there was a knock at the door. Clara and Alison were already here. I had slept in quite late. I went to open the door for them, and groggily let them in. 

“Why are you not ready?” Clara asked.

“I didn’t sleep very well last night. Being pregnant has my entire body messed up in strange ways,” I explained.

“Well go get dressed. Your appointment is in in twenty minutes. We don’t want to be late,” Alison added.

I dragged myself to the bedroom and got myself dressed and ran a brush through my hair. I was not looking forward to this shopping trip. I was serious about marrying Sidney in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. 

We pulled up in front of the dress shop and walked in. Alison and Clara instantly started gushing over dress after dress. 

A saleswoman came over and greeted us welcoming us into her shop. “My name is Susan and I’ll be helping you find a dress today. Who might the bride be?” she asked. I sheepishly raised my hand. 

“I’m Charlotte and this is my sister Alison and my best friend Clara,” I introduced. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” she said before leading us down a hallway and having us take a seat in front of a full-length, wrap-around mirror. “Now, tell me a little about yourself, Charlotte.”

I began to open my mouth but was silenced by Clara. “She’s not a shopper. She doesn’t like wearing dresses, even though she looks amazing in them. She’s rather simple and doesn’t like all the frilly stuff.”

“The simpler the better,” Alison added. 

Susan gave me a sympathetic smile. “Do you have a style or cut you prefer, Charlotte?” she asked.

Once again, Clara and Alison cut in. “She’d look amazing in an A-line style,” Alison said.

“I’d love to see her in a ballgown,” Clara gushed. “She has the figure for it.”

“Let’s not forget I’m pregnant and going to have a huge stomach very soon,” I said irritably. 

“Why don’t we go to the back and you can look at some designs,” Susan offered. “The two of you can stay here and we will have her come out and model some dresses.”

I followed Susan through another hallway into a dressing room. “Seems to me your friends think this is their wedding,” she pointed out. 

I sighed. “They mean well. They just tend to put their own styles on me.”

“So, let me ask you, Charlotte. What do you want in a dress?” she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I honestly don’t know. They weren’t wrong when they said I don’t like to shop and especially not for dresses. But this is a big event and I do want to look nice for my soon to be husband.”

“You mentioned being pregnant, so I’m thinking empire waist,” she said. I nodded my head in agreement even though I didn’t truly know what she was talking about. “Have you given any thought about the fabric or the shape you want to be on your big day?”

“I just want something really light and airy and easy to fit into even if I’m pregnant,” I said.

She nodded her head with a smile on her face. “I think I might know just the dress.”

A few moments later, Susan returned with an elegant, dress with just enough detail to be considered a wedding dress. There was a slight ruffle at the shoulder, a v-neckline that wasn’t too revealing. The bodice hit just below my breast and layers of silk cascaded down leaving plenty of space for a growing baby underneath. There was also a train, which, to my surprise, I actually enjoyed. I looked at myself in the small mirror and truly felt like this was the dress. 

I walked out excitedly to show Clara and Alison. I smiled as I stepped up on the platform in front of the mirrors. I wasn’t expecting tears. I knew it was common for brides to cry when they found their dress, but I never thought that would be me.

“Are you actually crying?” Clara asked.

“She totally is,” Alison agreed. “I never thought I’d see the day Charlotte would cry over a wedding dress.”

“Let’s remember my emotions are heightened because of pregnancy,” I said. “I can’t help it.”

“Do you like this dress?” Alison asked.

I turned around to face them and give them a look at the front. “I really do. I think this is the one,” I said.

“No,” Clara whined. “You can’t pick the first dress you try on. What’s the fun in that? Please indulge us and try on at least a couple more.”

“But Clara this one is perfect. Don’t you agree?” I asked.

She sighed and looked at my hopeful face. “It is beautiful and it’s very fitting for you. But I want to see at least one or two more. Please?” she begged.

I glanced at Alison who nodded her head in agreement. I supposed I could indulge them with a couple more dresses. But my mind was made up. The first dress was it.

I tried on a ballgown next and felt as if I was drowning in the layers. I had to kick at every step to walk out to the platform and then needed help just stepping up onto the platform, so I didn’t miss my step and fall. It was far too much dress. Thankfully Clara and Alison agreed. I was helped out of the monstrosity and put into an A-line dress with a lace overlay. I liked the dress very much, but I didn’t feel like it was me. I walked out onto the platform and Alison nodded her head with a smile on her face. “I like this one,” she said.

“Better than the first?” I asked.

“It’s up to you, but I think this one is very flattering,” Alison said

“I agree. This is gorgeous on you,” Clara added.

“But it leaves no room for a growing baby bump. If I was getting married tomorrow, maybe it would work. But we haven’t even set a date. What if we don’t get married for months and this doesn’t fit any longer?” I argued.

“You’re right,” Clara sadly agreed. “This one would not work.”

Susan giggled. “How far along are you?” she asked.

“Almost ten weeks. I’m not showing much, but it’s only a matter of time.”

“And who is the lucky man?” she wondered.

I grinned at getting the privilege to tell her about Sidney. “His name is Sidney Parker. He’s a fireman for the Sanditon Fire Station. He’s the most loving man I’ve ever met. He would literally do anything for me. He’s so excited about the baby too.”

“He truly is a perfect match for you,” Alison agreed. “He’s exactly who I always pictured you falling for. And he spoils you. Check out the rock on her finger.”

Susan glanced at my hand and I graciously held it out for her to see. “Oh, my goodness!” she gasped. “This man is a fireman and was able to afford something like this?”

“He’s not just a fireman. He’s also part of the Parker family, who just so happens to have more money than they know what to do with,” Clara added. 

“You are one lucky young woman,” Susan said. “This ring must have cost a fortune.”

“It couldn’t have cost that much,” I said. Watching all three of their faces told me differently. “How much?” I started to question just how much Sidney had spent.

“Let’s just say it’s close to six figures,” Clara informed. I was utterly shocked. It couldn’t possibly be that much.

“Sidney would never spend that much on a ring,” I argued. All three of them had skeptical expressions as if they knew more than me. 

“My dear girl, if a man is willing to put a ring of that value on your finger, you better not ever let him go. He is clearly in love with you. Your ring is absolutely beautiful. I think we should put you back in the first dress so you can decide once and for all that is your dress.”

An excitement to be put back in the first dress filled me. I was even smiling as we walked back to the dressing room. Once back in the dress, I was shown a couple veils and picked on I thought went well with the dress. She helped secure the veil in my hair before I walked out and showed them once again. This time, they both smiled and gave me a pleased expression. 

“This is definitely the dress,” Clara said. “I’ve never seen you so happy. I love the veil too.”

“I agree. You look very ethereal. I think it’s the sort of look you’re going for by holding the wedding at this mysterious castle you keep talking about,” Alison said. 

I looked at myself again and agreed with their sentiments. It was exactly what I was going for. “I don’t want to take it off,” I gushed. I found myself actually enjoying the sight of myself and the way I looked in this dress. I couldn’t wait to marry Sidney.

After I made the order for the dress and paid the amount required at the time of order, we went to lunch. Thankfully they were both understanding of my heightened senses and let me pick the place to eat. Some places just had the worst smells even if I once enjoyed their food. There was one place in particular that I couldn’t even go past without a wave of nausea hitting me. I avoided that restaurant at all costs.

“Tonight, is my first night working at the pub,” Alison said as we sat down. “I’m sort of nervous. It’s my first time working in as a waitress taking drink orders. The bookstore wasn’t hard at all. I’ve worked in the library back home, so books were easy. Drink, on the other hand, are a whole new conundrum.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” I assured. “You always catch on to things quickly.”

“I just wish I had more knowledge of drinks. I’ve never really drank much before,” she complained.

“Hasn’t Mr. Crowe been helping you?” Clara asked.

“He has. But he’s a little distracting at times,” she said with a smirk. I could only imagine what she meant, and it wasn’t something I necessarily wished to know more about. 

“I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around our Charlotte getting married and becoming a mother,” Clara said, changing the subject. “Alison and I have been talking about planning your wedding shower as well as your baby shower. We have some great plans for both.”

The sound in her voice gave me the impression I should be nervous about these plans. “Just remember I am pregnant. I can’t drink, I can’t be getting overly excited, and I’ll definitely be calling it an early night,” I reminded. 

“So, no hot strippers dressed like fireman to come crash the party?” Clara asked with a smirked.

I took a sip of my tea. “I already have that at home,” I said, grinning at my boldness.

They both giggled at my comment. “It’s good to see you so happy,” Clara said. “If anyone deserves to be this happy, it’s you. I can’t wait to find the same thing you have with someone.”

“How are things going with you and James?” I asked. 

She sighed and took a sip of her drink. “I suppose things are coming along. I do like him. When we’re together, we always have fun. I just think he’s a little too shy and wholesome for me. He’s holding back and I don’t really know what to think of it.”

“Maybe he needs some encouragement,” Alison suggested. 

“Maybe,” she said in agreement.

“Do either of you find it odd that we are all three in some sort of relationship with fireman?” Alison asked with a giggle. “Did you ever consider the possibility of dating a fireman?”

Both Clara and I agreed that it never even crossed our minds. Clara admitted that once I started dating Sidney, she had her own fantasies of a fireman, but never actually thought it would happen. 

“I suppose we should all be thanking Charlotte for agreeing to take those photos,” Clara laughed.

“Absolutely!” Alison agreed, joining Clara in her laughing.

We ate a nice lunch and continued our conversation about our lives and where we were headed in life. They both told me they wanted to help me plan the wedding, which I was entirely grateful for. I didn’t know the first thing about planning a wedding. The only thing I truly knew I had to do was buy a dress and I’d done that.

In the evening, I spent some more time packing and watching TV. I kept expecting Sidney to call like he said he would. I sent him plenty of text messages with no response. I figured he was probably out on a call and didn’t have the time to call me. I had to come to terms with this sort of lifestyle. I was pretty tired since I hadn’t slept well the night before, so I headed to bed and anticipated Sidney arriving in the morning and crawling in bed next to me. 

Around three in the morning, my phone started to ring. I quickly grabbed it and saw Sidney’s number pop up. I sighed in relief and answered the phone. “I was beginning to wonder what happened to you,” I said. 

“Charlotte,” the subdued voice said through the phone. My heart stopped beating when I realized it wasn’t Sidney. It was Tom.

“Where’s Sidney,” I asked already beginning to cry.

“There was an accident,” he explained. “He’s at the hospital. I don’t know how bad he is.”

I couldn’t stop crying. This was my worst fear coming true. “Tom, please tell me he’s going to be okay.”

“All I know is we were at Eliza’s house. It had caught fire and she was still inside. Sidney went in to save her and fell. He hit the ground pretty hard and was unconscious when the ambulance took him away.”

I couldn’t even think about where he was or what he did. All I heard was he fell and was unconscious. I dropped the phone and threw on some clothing. I didn’t even take my phone or purse with me. I just got in the car and drove, trying hard to focus on the road in front of me through my tears. He had to be alright. He wouldn’t leave me like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do love my cliffhangers. 😉


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sort of a short chapter (for me anyway). There's no sex scene in this one. I know that's why you all read it, right? haha! 😉   
> This one is a more serious chapter.

I arrived at the hospital and rushed in. Asking at the front desk where I might find Sidney, I was directed to a room in the emergency department. I slowly walked towards the curtained off room, dreading what might be behind the curtain. My haste to get to the hospital quickly, had now turned into hesitation. On the other side of that curtain was Sidney. I had no idea what type of condition he was in or if he would even survive whatever had happened. I stood outside the curtain, trying desperately to build up the courage to face whatever might be. I heard Sidney’s deep voice speak. If he was speaking, he had to be better off than I imagined. I pulled the curtain back to find Sidney on the edge of a hospital cot where a nurse was just finishing up taking his blood. 

When our eyes connected, he sighed and let his entire body droop. His lips pursed as if he was upset. I couldn’t control the sobs that left me. Tears streamed down my face as I looked at him. He put his hand out towards me, which I quickly walked towards and took. He pulled me against his chest and wrapped me tightly in his arms. He calmly shushed me and gently rubbed my head. “I told the nurse not to call you,” he said.

I shook my head against his chest. “She didn’t. Tom did,” I said.

“Tom?” Sidney said, sounding shocked. 

“Sidney, I thought…” I began but found it impossible to finish what my mind was thinking.

“Charlotte, look at me,” he demanded, pulling me away just slightly so I could look at him. “I’m fine. This is why I didn’t want anyone to call you. I didn’t want to worry you when there’s nothing to worry about. I’m perfectly fine.”

“This is my worst fear, Sidney. One of these days you aren’t going to be fine,” I cried. “How many times am I going to get that call in the middle of the night that you’re at the hospital?”

He brushed my tears off my cheeks and looked into my eyes with so much sincerity. “It was a simple accident. It was no more than missing a step and falling,” he assured. I knew he was downplaying what had actually happened. There was no way it was just a little stumble. He was rushed to the hospital. 

“Tom said you were unconscious,” I cried.

He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around me tightly. “I’m going to need to have a talk with my brother,” he complained. “I wasn’t unconscious. I simply had the wind knocked out of me.”

“Why are you downplaying this?” I shouted, pulling away from him angrily. “Sidney, this isn’t just a little stumble. This is serious. All the way here all I could think about was raising our baby alone. If anything happened to you…” Once again, I found it impossible to finish the statement. I couldn’t even bring myself to think of what could have been. 

He cupped my face, holding me out in front of him so he could look directly at me. “I’m fine. There’s nothing to be worried about. Please don’t cry.” He leaned his forehead against mine as I once again was overcome with tears. 

During our very intimate moment of trying to come to terms with what had happened, Eliza walked into the room.

“Sidney! Oh my god! I can’t believe what happened.” She came rushing over and put her arms around his neck, practically pushing me away from him. Sidney grabbed my hand, holding onto me while he attempted to get her off of him. “You saved my life,” she gasped. “You’re my guardian angel. How can I ever repay you?”

“Eliza, could you please just go away?” Sidney asked with an irritable tone, trying to maneuver away from her. 

“Sidney, we have an unbreakable bond. Don’t you see that? We are soulmates,” she said. 

“No, we aren’t. I saved you because it’s my job. That is all,” he told her. “Now get out.”

She didn’t listen. “I’ll need to find somewhere to stay while I wait for the insurance payout. I don’t have anything now. I don’t even have money to stay in a hotel. I’m not sure how long it’ll take for the insurance money to come through. Do you have any experience with how long it takes?” she asked.

Sidney pulled me towards him, causing me to bump into Eliza. His eyes were on me with a sympathetic expression. He wiped my eyes with his thumbs, attempting to sooth me. Eliza was not happy about being pushed aside.

“Couldn’t handle being the girlfriend of a fireman very long, could you?” she taunted. “I warned you his first love would always be his career. You better get used to spending lots of days in the hospital. I can guarantee it won’t be the last.”

“Could you not?” Sidney shouted. “Get out, Eliza!” 

“Well it’s true,” she shouted back. “This isn’t the first time you’ve had to go to the hospital for some injury during a call. It happens all the time. I became numb to the calls. It’s best she knows that information now before she marries you. Which, I believe is a huge mistake. You barely know her. It’s obvious she’s a gold digger.”

“I’m going to leave,” I said, pulling away from Sidney. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t stand there and listen to her continue to talk about all the times he’d been to the emergency room and how wrong he was for marrying me.

“Charlotte don’t,” he said, trying to pull me back. 

“It’s fine. I’m fine. I just need some air,” I said, walking out of the room. I started to cry as soon as I left the room. I didn’t know exactly why I was so upset. If it was because of what Eliza said or because of their apparent bond, or even just from being overwhelmed from the night and the call, I wasn’t sure. I didn’t even care. I just needed some space. 

“Charlotte!” Sidney called after me, following me down the hallway. “Charlotte, stop!”

I stopped and turned around, breaking down to cry even more. He pulled me to his chest and allowed me to cry. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

“What are you saying sorry for?” Eliza asked after following Sidney down the hall. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Is she seriously upset that you saved my life? Would she have preferred you let me burn alive? How disgusting can someone be? And then you stand here and comfort her like she’s the one who almost died? What is wrong with you, Sidney?”

“Just stop!” Sidney shouted.

“Mr. Parker,” a nurse interrupted. “We need to take you to x-ray now.” 

“Stay with me?” Sidney asked, giving me a desperate expression. “Please?”

“I need some time to process,” I said shaking my head. His expression was hurt, but he nodded his head and let out a heavy sigh before releasing me. We stared into each other’s eyes for a moment, trying hard to understand what the other was thinking and feeling.

“Mr. Parker?” the nurse said again. He broke our trance and followed the nurse down the hall.

“It’s probably for the best you leave,” Eliza said. “I’ll take care of Sidney. He deserves someone who isn’t going to wish someone else dead. It goes against everything he stands for.”

I tried to ignore her. I knew she had just been through a traumatic experience. I wanted to be sympathetic to that. But this was too much. I was not going to sit by and have her accuse me of wanting her dead. “Do you want to know the difference between me and you, Eliza?” I asked. She narrowed her eyes and smirked like she thought what I said was amusing. “I can walk away. I can let Sidney go if that’s what he wants. I don’t need his money to survive. I don’t need him to take care of me. But you can’t seem to get the hint that he doesn’t want you anymore. You are so desperate to hold on to him when he clearly wants nothing to do with you, that you would do practically anything. Now that I think about it, you aren’t desperate to hold on to Sidney. You’re desperate to hold on to his money. You have no one. You have nothing. You have made everyone around you miserable to the point that no one wants you. Yet here you are, still trying to weasel your way in somehow to get what you want even if it means creating lies. Or maybe even burning your own house down.”

She narrowed her eyes even more, giving me a look as if she wished to kill me. “The difference is, Sidney and I have a past. He will never leave me without anything. We will always have a connection and nothing you do will ever break our bond. We are fated to be together.”

Fresh tears filled my eyes, but I refused to shed them in front of her. I was not going to let her get the better of me. “Thank you for clearing that up for me,” I said. She gave me a devious grin as if she thought she got the better of me. I honestly didn’t care what she had to say anymore. 

“It’s for the best that you know now where you stand,” she said. “I’m sure he will let you keep the ring. I imagine he will want full custody of the baby once he does a paternity test to confirm he’s the father, of course. I’m sure he already has some doubts. I know I do. I hope you weren’t counting on getting child support.”

I nodded my head and walked away unwilling to give her anymore of my time. I cried all the way home, feeling entirely overwhelmed with everything that had happened. I questioned if what Eliza said was true. Did I really want her dead? Was I upset that he put his life in danger to save her? Was there any truth to what she said about them being fated to be together? Was I standing in his way? Maybe I couldn’t handle being the wife of a fireman. Maybe it was best we broke things off now before things got worse?

I walked into the house and tossed me keys on the table. I walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. I seriously considered packing my stuff and leaving. Whether I left permanently or just for a little while, I wasn’t sure. But the thought of leaving only made me more upset. I was beyond exhausted after everything that happened. I laid my head on a pillow at the end of the bed and continued to cry until I fell asleep. 

I woke many hours later to find Sidney sitting beside me on the bed. His head hung low. His expression full of sadness. I glanced at the clock and saw it was late in the afternoon. For a moment, I questioned where he had been all day. Was he at the hospital? Was he at work? Or was he with Eliza? I hated feeling as if I had to compete with her for him.

I sat up and swallowed against the lump in my throat. He glanced towards me for only a moment before dropping his head again. The pained look on his face made me sick. I ran to the bathroom and vomited. I stayed in the bathroom a moment longer, brushing my teeth and gargling with mouth wash to rid the awful taste from my mouth. More than anything, I was avoiding the inevitable. I had a good feeling Sidney and I were about to break up. I didn’t want to face it. I wasn’t sure I was strong enough. 

I took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom very slowly. Sidney still sat unmoving on the bed. I walked over and sat down next to him, mentally preparing myself for the talk.

He took a deep breath and dropped to his knees. He crawled between my legs and rested his head against my stomach, tightly wrapping his arms around my waist. “I’m resigning,” he blurted. 

It wasn’t what I expected to hear. “What?”

He rose his head to look at me. “I’ve put in my resignation with the fire department.”

“You can’t. Your job means everything to you,” I argued. 

“You mean more,” he admitted. My breath hitched as I took in what he said. “What Eliza said about my job always coming first made me realize how right she was. My job has always been more important than anything else. Until you.” He sighed and gave me a sympathetic smile. “I don’t ever want you to feel like I’m choosing my job over you and our child. You are more important than anything else. I’m choosing you.”

“Sidney, I can’t let you do this. I’ll be fine. I just need time to process. It’s the first time you’ve gotten hurt. It’s the first time I’ve had to face something happening to you. In time I’ll get used to it.”

“Until you become numb to the calls?” he asked. “I don’t want that for you. I don’t want that for us.”

“I won’t let you do it,” I said. “I’m not going to sit here and let you choose between me and the job you love. You won’t be happy choosing me. You need that outlet to do good. It’s what you have always been called to do. This community depends on you. I’m not about to take that away from you.”

He sighed. “And I’m not about to lose you. I refuse to lose you,” he said. “I need you to understand how much the thought of losing you scares me. I can run into burning buildings and fall through floors and put my life in danger every single day and not be fazed by it. But the thought of losing you today nearly killed me. I’m not choosing you over my job. I’m choosing my future with you. I’m choosing our family.”

I shook my head and began to cry again. “No, Sidney. You are not going to do this. I won’t let you,” I shouted. “You need to go take it back. You are not quitting what you love. I refuse to stand by and let you do it. I know I wasn’t as supportive today as I should have been. Part of that was because of Eliza. But Sidney, you need your job. You need to feel important. You need your brothers. Those guys at the station need you just as much. I will learn to adjust to the lifestyle. I will seek out support and tips from your mother and Mary, even all the other wives on how best to manage. Even if you quit, it doesn’t mean you’re safe from tragedy. You said that yourself. There’s still always that chance you’ll get in an accident, or fall off a cliff, or hundreds of other possible things that could go wrong. I just need to know how to process.”

“Charlotte,” he breathed as if he was going to argue his position again.

“Can you tell me what happened?” I asked, interrupting him.

“I don’t know if I should,” he said, shaking his head. “It might make you more upset.”

“It would probably help to know what really happened since all that keeps running through my mind is visions from my own vivid imagination,” I explained. “I need to know for my own sanity. I need to process it.”

He loosened his hold around me and looked down before he began. “We got a call about a fire. When I heard the address, I knew it was Eliza’s house. When we got there, the house was engulfed in flames. There wasn’t much we could do to save the house or anything in it. We just needed to put the fire out, so it didn’t spread. When we realized Eliza was still inside, we quickly went into action for a rescue. She was upstairs, hanging out a window, screaming for help. We got the ladder extended, and I climbed up to the window to pull her out. By the time I got to the room, she was no longer there. I had to go through the upstairs rooms to find her. When I did, she was passed out on the floor. I carried her back to the room where the ladder was and handed her off to Crowe. He quickly headed back down and got her to the ground where she was assessed. Before I left the room to head down the ladder myself, I turned around and thought for a moment I saw someone else. I went after what I thought I saw, calling out for them to come to me. I wasn’t paying attention and hit a soft spot on the floor. I fell through and landed on the first floor. My team had to go in and rescue me. Eliza confirmed she was the only one in the house, so whatever I saw was just a shadow of something. I don’t know.”

“Did you get hurt?” I asked.

He sighed as if he didn’t want to tell me. “I have a lot of bruising and the x-ray showed a very small hairline fracture on my rib. It’s nothing too serious. I’ll heal just fine.”

I shook my head, trying hard not to cry more. The image of him falling kept playing in my mind. “Is it common to fall through floors?” I asked.

“Sometimes. It just depends on the structure of the house and how much damage has already been done,” he explained. “I made a careless mistake. I shouldn’t have even gone into the house without backup.”

“But it was personal,” I said, adding to his thoughts. “You care about Eliza.”

“Not the way you think,” he argued. “I’ll always care about her wellbeing, but I don’t want her in my life. I don’t want any more of her deceit. She has gone too far this time.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. He opened his mouth to speak, but we were interrupted by a knock at the door. Sidney sighed, almost as if he knew who was at the door. I had my suspicions as well.

He stood up and took my hand to raise me to my feet. We walked towards the door and were met by Eliza. She smiled at Sidney, then frowned at me. “You’re still here?” she asked.

“Charlotte lives here. She’s not going anywhere,” Sidney said defensively, wrapping a protective arm around me. 

She smirked as if trying to ignore what Sidney said. “I was hoping I might trouble you for a place to stay while I wait for the insurance. I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Sidney nodded his head, looking at her intently. “It’s interesting how you have a couple suitcases packed,” Sidney pointed out. I looked behind her and noticed for the first time the suitcases. “Did you pack those before or after you set the house on fire?”

She laughed nervously. “Don’t be ridiculous, Sidney. Why would I set the house on fire?”

“You tell me?” he asked. “I’ve talked to the investigator. I’ve done the report. There’s absolutely no way the house caught on fire by accident. You were pretty sloppy if you actually thought you’d get away with it.”

She shuffled her feet and stumbled over an explanation. She started to cry as if trying to gain sympathy. “You cut me off completely, Sidney. What did you expect me to do? I’ve lost everything because of you. I just need the insurance money to start a new life.”

Sidney chuckled. “The thing is, insurance doesn’t pay for setting your own house on fire. But insurance does pay when someone else sets your house on fire. Since the house is still in my name and you were considered a renter, you setting the fire does result in an insurance payout. But it’ll be in the owner’s name, not yours.”

“Sidney, you can’t do this to me. I signed the papers saying I’d buy the house. It should be in my name. I deserve that insurance money. Please, Sidney, do the decent thing,” she begged.

“The decent thing?” he repeated. “You expect me to be decent to you after you not only put my team in danger, but also risked my life with your scheme? I could sue you for what you did. The entire department could sue you. Quite frankly, you could go to jail for what you did.”

“Sidney, you wouldn’t,” she whined, beginning to cry. “Please, Sidney. I only did it so you would see how much we need each other.”

Sidney walked into the house and grabbed an envelope off the table before joining us again. He handed Eliza the envelope and wrapped his arm around me again. “Consider this the last kind thing I ever do for you,” he said. 

She wiped her tears and grinned while opening up the large envelope. She pulled out the papers and read over them. Her smile falling into a frown once again. “What is this?”

“It’s a restraining order. If you come within a hundred feet of me, Charlotte, our child, my family, or the station you will be arrested,” Sidney explained. 

The anger that built inside of her was plain to see. “How would you say this is kind?” she shouted. “Slapping me with restraining orders? Are you kidding me? Was this her idea?”

“It’s the considerate thing to do, because, quite frankly, I could have you arrested right now for setting the fire. Instead, I’m simply giving you the opportunity to walk away,” he explained. “And keep in mind, if you come anywhere near Charlotte or our child ever again, I won’t be held responsible for what I might do to you.”

“You’re threatening me?” she whined. 

“Yes, I am,” he said very matter-of-factly. “I suggest you take my warning seriously.”

“How could you?” she cried. “After all we’ve been through, you would do this to me for her?”

He smirked and chuckled lightly glancing at me for a moment. “More like, how could you? After all we’ve been through you would stoop so low to setting your own house on fire and putting your life at risk just to gain sympathy and access to money. Are you truly that desperate? How pathetic.”

Her eyes narrowed at me and her nostrils flared with anger. “This is all your fault. You’ve manipulated him against me. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll prove it.”

Sidney stepped forward and got between the two of us. “Threaten my wife again and you will be sorry,” he spat through a clenched jaw.

“She’s not your wife, Sidney,” she said angrily.

“She will be next month,” he said. “Now leave before I call the police.”

“Sidney,” she whined, desperately trying one last time. 

Sidney pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number for the police. “Yes, this is Sidney Parker. I need to report a restraining order violation.”

Eliza screamed angrily and stomped her foot before grabbing her luggage and walking back to her car. She drove away quickly as if she was running away. Sidney canceled the call and shut the door. 

He turned towards me and took a deep breath. “You will still be my wife, right?” he asked with a fear across his face.

I nodded my head. “I never planned not to be,” I said. “On one condition.”

“What’s that?” he asked with a chuckle, pulling me closer to him. “You take back your resignation.”

“Charlotte,” he grumbled. “It’s already been done.”

“You can call to take it back,” I ordered. “I’m not letting you do it. Those guys need you just as much as I do. How selfish would I be for taking you away from them? I’d be no better than Eliza trying to manipulate you out of money.”

“You are nothing like her. Don’t ever compare yourself to her,” he ordered. 

“Would you ever ask me to give up what I love? Would you tell me you don’t want me taking photos anymore and make me choose between that and you?” I asked.

“Of course not!” he said.

“Then don’t put me in that same position,” I said. “Call and take it back.”

He pursed his lips and sighed, searching my eyes and questioning my sincerity. I took the phone out of his pocket and handed it to him with a pointed look. He grinned and gave me a kiss. “Thank you,” he said. Those words meant everything to me. As much as I feared for his safety and would always worry about getting another one of those calls in the middle of the night, I wasn’t going to take away what he loved. No matter what, I’d stand by him through the good and the bad. I’d support him always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eliza is gone for good now. They will be moving on with their lives. Next up is a special wedding event and honeymoon. Anyone want to guess where they might be honeymooning?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long awaited wedding is finally here. The vows are the traditional vows that everyone should be familiar with.
> 
> The story Sidney tells Charlotte is thanks to a reader who offered up a real life version of this. I had to use it, so thank you for sharing. You know who you are.

A month had gone by since the fire. So much had happened since then. Sidney was able to take his resignation back. However, he was forced to take some time off because of his injuries and because the fire chief felt as if he needed an extended time away if he was considering resignation. It worked out in our favor though. Sidney was able to attend my next doctor appointment with me and hear the heartbeat for himself. I wasn’t surprised when he broke down crying at the sound of his child’s heartbeat. I’d never seen a man so excited about becoming a father. I shouldn’t have been surprised when a week later a package arrived with his own personal doppler. Listening to the baby’s heartbeat became our nightly routine. 

Things had definitely changed for me too. Thankfully the morning sickness had subsided, but now I was finding new changes. I was hungry all the time, I was extra tired, I had to pee constantly, and my stomach was slowly growing larger. I had grown closer with Sidney’s mother and sister-in-law who had gone through pregnancies of their own and were able to give me great advice and peace of mind. They were also very supportive with helping me deal with my fears of Sidney getting hurt. Sidney’s mother was a wealth of knowledge given that her husband was once a fireman and now all four of her children had followed in his footsteps. She helped me understand that my fears were valid, but I couldn’t go through life living in fear of the what ifs. If I did, I’d slowly go mad. Her advice was to simply make every day count; never leave things unsaid, never go to sleep angry, and live life to the fullest. I had every intention of living my life that way with Sidney. 

We were days away from closing on the new house. Our move in date was approaching and we had been all over town buying new furniture and décor for the house. Sidney was eager to get in to start painting and setting up the most important room of all; the baby’s room.

We had also dived deep into planning a wedding. Sidney’s family was heavily involved with all the details. I appreciated their help as I didn’t know the first thing about planning a wedding. I was perfectly fine with anything they planned. As long as I got to stand next to Sidney and become his wife, I wasn’t concerned about all the other details. And knowing Sidney’s family, they knew how to plan an event. 

Alison and Crowe had become entirely too close for my liking. She spent almost all her time with him and had even confessed to me that she was in love with him. Although, he still seemed to see their relationship as a fun fling. I worried about her getting hurt and encouraged Sidney to talk to Crowe so he was aware of Alison’s growing feelings. He assured me he would once he went back to work. Clara and James Stringer had gotten close at first, but then stopped seeing each other. She didn’t talk about it much, but I could tell it bothered her.

Eliza had not disturbed us since the fire, but we did hear she was in a lot of trouble. Police questioned her about setting the fire where she claimed she didn’t do it. She even tried to blame it on her ex and his new girlfriend. She was a mess. Sidney didn’t seem to care what happened to her. After the fire incident, she had lost all respect and he wished to pretend she never existed in his life. I decided to leave it alone and let him deal with his anger towards her himself. She had definitely earned it.

“The wedding date is set, the mystery honeymoon you planned is set, our twenty-week ultrasound is set, and we are days away from moving. Nearly everything is packed and ready to go. Everything is falling into place,” I said, lying in bed next to Sidney. He moved the doppler across my abdomen listening for the baby’s heartbeat while I spoke.

“I hope everything falling into place isn’t a sign of bad things to come,” he said.

“Don’t say things like that!” I said with a hurtful tone. “Haven’t we already been through enough?”

He sighed and grinned before giving me a kiss. “You’re right. Nothing more is going to go wrong. We’ve had enough bad things happen. Now we just need to focus on the positives.”

“Positives being we get to move soon and start decorating the baby’s room,” I reminded. “I can’t wait. I keep picturing bringing a baby home and seeing you as a father.”

“I’m excited to see you as a mother also. I can’t imagine anyone being a better mother than you.”

“Not even your own?” I asked with a giggle.

He laughed with me and brought a finger to his lips. “Not even my own. Just don’t tell her I said that.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” I said laughing again.

“There it is!” he said excitedly. Sometimes finding the heartbeat with the doppler was difficult since the baby was still so small. We both sat silently listening to the heartbeat of our baby for a moment, reveling in the magical sound of the life we had created.

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” I asked, running my fingers through his hair. He was to go back to work in the morning after being off for a little over a month. 

“I can’t believe it’s actually time to go back. I like being home with you. Are you sure you don’t want me to resign?” he asked.

I smiled and tugged at the stubbly hairs on his chin. “I want you to be happy. I don’t think sitting at home day after day would make you happy. You need adventure and an outlet to do good for others. We will have a lifetime to spend together.”

“You truly are the best person I’ve ever met. Is it wrong of me to say that I’m glad a fire broke out at the school ultimately making it possible for us to meet while creating the calendar?” he asked.

“I think we would have met somehow if things hadn’t happened the way they did. I never believed in fate or destiny. But when I’m with you, I can’t imagine a life without you. I feel as if you are my soulmate. We were meant to be together and be the parents of this little miracle growing inside of me.”

Sidney put the doppler down and gently kissed me before resting his forehead against mine. “I feel the same.”

He pulled me into his arms and settled into his pillow. “Are you ever going to tell me where we’re going for our honeymoon?” I asked.

He laughed and tightened his arms around me. “Not yet. It’s a surprise.”

“As long as I don’t have to climb any mountains or do anything too strenuous,” I said.

He kissed the top of my head. “No climbing of any kind will be happening. I think you’re going to truly enjoy where we’re going.”

“If I’m with you, how could I not?” I said sleepily against his chest. Within moments I was drifting off into sleep.

In the morning, I made sure to wake up with Sidney. I had decided that no matter what, I was going to get up with him every morning he had to head to work. I was going to kiss him goodbye, tell him I loved him, and wish him a good day. His mother said it helped her get through all those years to do those simple things. I wanted to do the same and it did truly make me feel better when he left. I still had that overwhelming fear throughout the day, but he made a point to send me texts or call me periodically throughout the day to reassure me he was alright. 

Since I was feeling much better being in the second trimester, I was able to get back to work in some capacity. Not many people wanted photos taken in the winter, but there were a few here and there. I had booked a family who had two little boys and they just had a new baby girl at the beginning of the year. They wanted to get family photos done while the baby was still an infant. 

I found myself drawn to this family almost instantly. They were all so lovely and the little boys were so protective of their little sister. I took so many sweet photos of the children. 

“Your children are simply amazing,” I said towards the end of the shoot. “All so well behaved and absolutely adorable.”

“Oh, thank you,” the mother said. “That means a lot to us.”

“I’m expecting a baby in July. I feel since I’ve found out I’m pregnant I’m much more aware of children and especially babies,” I explained.

“How exciting. I remember that feeling when I had my first. Do you know what you’re having yet?” she asked.

“Not yet. We find out in a few weeks.”

“I always knew what I was going to have the moment I found out I was pregnant. Do you have a feeling one way or another?” she asked.

I shrugged. I hadn’t really thought about it. But in that moment, I truly felt as if I was having a boy. I hadn’t had that strong of a sensation hit me since finding out I was expecting. I thought about my own mother and wondered if she knew what she was having with all of her pregnancies. I wished I could call her and ask things about being pregnant. I just wasn’t sure I was ready to talk to her yet. We hadn’t talked since Christmas even though she would periodically call. She even tried calling Alison asking her to tell me to call her. I was thankful that Alison was on my side and told her that when I felt ready to talk to her I would. “If I admit what I think it is would I be jinxing myself?” I wondered.

She laughed. “I suppose you will have to wait to find out then. Thank you again for taking so many wonderful photos. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product. And good luck with the rest of your pregnancy. The last couple months can be brutal. Be sure to plan plenty of rest.”

“Thanks for the tip,” I said. “I will have the edited photos done by the end of the week.”

As soon as I got home, I started working on editing the photos. So many of them were simply beautiful. I kept picturing mine and Sidney’s family getting family photos taken someday. We were about to buy this large house for a growing family. We were going to have to have more than just one child to fill the house. 

As I sat there thinking about having more babies in the future, Sidney called. “I was just thinking about you,” I said answering the phone.

He laughed. “What were you thinking?” he asked.

“I did a photoshoot for this lovely family today. They had three beautiful children and it got me thinking about our own. I know we talked about a while ago, but I really think I want to have a large family.”

He laughed again. “Can we have this baby first?” 

“I know. I’m not saying I want to have another one right away. I’m just saying I want more.”

“I’m glad. I want more too, just not all at once,” he said.

“Deal,” I agreed. “Was there a reason why you called?”

“I just wanted to check in on you. I want to make sure you took your vitamins, ate something, and are drinking enough water.”

“All of the above have been done,” I assured. “I made a shepherd’s pie for dinner and there’s plenty left over for us tomorrow. I took my vitamins with dinner and have already drank the minimum amount of water I’m supposed to drink a day. No need to worry.”

“I just have to check,” he excused. “I’m used to being there with you to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. I wish I was there now. I miss holding you at night and listening to the baby’s heartbeat together.”

“We still can,” I said. “Give me a minute.” I walked into the bedroom and got the doppler off his nightstand. I laid back on the bed and pulled my shirt up and unbuttoned my pants to expose my stomach. I placed the doppler on my abdomen and swirled it around until I found the heartbeat. I made sure the volume was on as loud as it would go and turned on the speaker to the phone. “Can you hear it?”

“Yeah,” he breathed. I pictured him closing his eyes and relaxing to the sound like he did most other nights. I could hear a few of the guys in the background. I assumed Sidney was sharing the sound of the heartbeat with everyone, which made me smile knowing they were just as intrigued with the baby. 

The alarm went off in the background. Sidney groaned and said he had to go. 

“Please be careful,” I said.

“I will. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my thoughts of something bad happening to him. This was just another regular call like any other. Sidney would be fine. I had to keep telling myself that. Thankfully, I had lots of editing to keep me busy. 

I ended up dozing off while editing and was only woken late in the evening from a text. I picked up my phone and read the text he sent. 

–You won’t believe the call we had tonight. I’ll tell you all about it in the morning. I hope you’re getting some sleep.– 

I realized I wasn’t sleeping in the greatest position, hunched over on the couch, so I put my laptop away and headed to bed. I had gotten used to Sidney being home and found myself struggling to sleep in the large bed without him. I tossed and turned for quite some time before finally falling asleep.

In the morning, I was awoken by Sidney crawling over top of me and kissing up my arm until he reached my neck and then my lips. I smiled against his familiar lips and sat up to welcome him home. He crawled in bed next to me and buried his head against my chest. “How was your first day back?” I asked.

He groaned. “Long,” he answered. “I’ve gone soft. I struggled to stay awake the full twenty-four hours. I got used to sleeping a regular schedule with you.”

“I guess I should have given you the opportunity to practice that routine before you went back,” I said, feeling bad.

He sat up next to me and rubbed my stomach like he had become quite accustomed to do. “It’s not your fault. I should have known to get back into that routine myself. I’m just glad to be home. I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too. Last night was hard to sleep without you.”

“I’m home now,” he said seductively, leaning up to kiss me.

“Hold that thought,” I said, stopping him from continuing the kiss. “I have to pee.”

He laughed and plopped back on the bed while I rushed to the bathroom. When I got back, he was passed out asleep. I crawled in bed next to him and played with his hair for a few moments while admiring him. I loved him more than anything. I couldn’t help picturing our life together years and years from now happy with lots of joy, lots of children, and just simply being a happy, healthy family. Just a few months ago, I was single, I was entirely focused on building my business, I had no interest in being in a relationship or even dating anyone. Now here I was engaged to be married, buying a house together, and about to become a mother. My life had changed so quickly. I snuggled in next to Sidney and thought about how perfect everything was turning out. 

I woke up a few hours later to Sidney talking to someone on the phone. I sat up, trying to listen to the conversation. It sounded as if it had something to do with the house we were buying. I was hoping it was word that we could go sign the papers to make it ours. 

“So?” I asked as soon as he hung up. 

He grinned and leaned back against the headboard. “We can go in tomorrow to sign the papers,” he answered. 

I screamed with excitement and kissed him. “Do we get the keys tomorrow too?” I asked.

“We do. So, I guess today we should start thinking about what needs to be done. I want to get started right away on painting. It would be nice to have everything moved in before we leave for our honeymoon,” he said.

“Let’s get ready then and go look at paint.” I jumped out of bed and started to get dressed while Sidney remained on the bed. “Unless you don’t want to,” I said, confused why he wasn’t moving. 

“No, I do. I just need a few minutes to wake up,” he said.

I crawled back on the bed and massaged his shoulders and kissed his neck. “I suppose you only got to sleep for a couple hours,” I said sadly. “We don’t have to go now. Why don’t we go later this afternoon? I have some more editing to do. I can work on that for a while so you can get some more sleep.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “If I get some coffee, I should be fine.”

“No. I want you to get some sleep. We can even go look at paint and make final decisions tomorrow after we sign the papers.”

He turned and gave me a quick kiss. “You are too good to me. I just need a couple more hours.”

“It’s fine. I’ll go out in the living room and work on some editing.” I gave him another kiss and left the room so he could sleep. I was super excited about getting started on painting and moving our stuff, but I didn’t want Sidney to suffer because of it. 

I focused on editing photos and even booked a couple more sessions. Before I knew it, the sun was going down and the day had turned to night. I started to heat up the leftover dinner when I heard Sidney get up and take a shower. 

When he came out of the bedroom, he sat down next to me looking sad. “Are you disappointed?” he asked.

“About what?” I wondered. 

“We didn’t go finish shopping for the new house today. I did set an alarm, but I must have slept through it. I don’t normally do that.”

“Sidney, it’s just paint. It’s not going anywhere. We have plenty of time to pick out paint. Tomorrow is a new day.”

He sighed and pulled me into his lap. “Tomorrow is a new day. I won’t be quite as boring tomorrow.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t start that again,” I complained. “Just because you’re tired after a busy night at work doesn’t mean you’re boring.”

He laughed. “I didn’t even tell you about the call we had last night,” he reminded. “This older woman called and said she needed the firemen to come to her house. She was a little hard to understand, apparently. We didn’t really know what we were walking into. All we knew was she claimed she needed the firemen. So, we show up and she lets us in. We start asking her a bunch of questions like is there a fire somewhere? Are you suffering from any pain or discomfort? Things like that. She gladly lets us do an exam and we found nothing wrong with her. Then she starts talking to us and addressing us by name. It’s all a little creepy, to be honest. Then we find multiple copies of the calendar in her home. It was eventually determined she called the fire department simply to have us come to her house so she could see the men in the calendar in person.” Sidney laughed more and shook his head. “I’m afraid she might not be the last call we get like that.”

“Oops!” I said, laughing with him. 

Sidney laughed again. “It was actually pretty funny. We all got a kick out of it. She was a hoot. She acted all giddy around us as if she was a teenager again with a crush on a boy.”

“She sounds fun,” I said.

“Quite flirty, but a sweet lady.”

“Your day sounds much more exciting than mine,” I said.

“That’s right. You had a shoot yesterday. Are you all done editing photos?” he asked.

“Not quite. I took so many. It’s going to take a few days to get through all of them.”

“Well, you better finish them soon. I am putting a ban on any work while we are gone on our honeymoon,” he said.

“You still won’t tell me where we are going?” I asked.

“Nope,” he chuckled. “But you’ll love it.”

The timer went off on the oven, so I got up and took the food out. We ate and had a nice conversation about his day back at work and my day of taking photos and editing. I talked to him about how I wish I could talk to my mom about some of the pregnancy symptoms I was having and how it would be nice to share all of what I was going through with her since she had gone through it plenty of times. He tried to encourage me to call her, but I wasn’t ready. I was still hurt by everything. I wasn’t ready to let them back into my life.

After dinner, Sidney told me to put something nice on because he had a surprise for me. I wasn’t really in the mood for surprises or for getting dressed up, but I did it anyway. He drove us into town and escorted me into a theatre where we watched an amazingly acted show. He hadn’t told me anything about it nor was it something I even considered doing. I suspected it was a last-minute decision. We had a lot of fun and plenty of laughs during the show though. Afterwards, we got some dessert at a little bakery near our house. I knew what he was doing. He was feeling guilty for sleeping all day instead of getting up and spending time with me. He was afraid I was going to think he was boring, and he was trying to make up for it. 

“You know you don’t have to do this right?” I asked. “I was perfectly fine staying home tonight. We could have snuggled on the couch and watched a movie or something.”

“I know. I just want to try and make every day I’m off special with you.”

“Sitting at home and snuggling on the couch is special,” I assured, slipping my hand into his while we walked back towards the car. 

“I’ve been wanting to see that play anyway. Tonight, seemed like a good night,” he excused.

“Alright,” I accepted. 

Once home, we went to bed and had our nightly routine of listening to the baby’s heartbeat before going to sleep. Since Sidney’s injury, he was advised not to do anything too strenuous, so sex was pretty limited. We tried a couple times, but he always wound up in a lot of pain and then I’d feel guilty for causing it. I was suffering from my own painful feelings. Mostly it was a tightening in my lower abdomen that would always make me panic. Eventually, we decided to just hold off until he was fully healed and I had a chance to talk to the doctor to be sure everything was normal. The doctor assured us there was no reason we couldn’t have sex all the way up to the day I delivered as long as we both felt comfortable doing so. But even hearing that still didn’t make it happen. I had actually worried that my growing abdomen was causing him to be turned off. I hoped I was wrong, but I couldn’t shake the feeling. 

Bright and early the next morning, we got ready and went to meet our real estate agent to sign the papers. Sidney insisted that both our names be on the house just in case. He never elaborated what that just in case meant, but I knew. Just in case anything did happen to him, the house would still be mine. We signed stacks and stacks of paperwork before being handed keys. I was so excited to go see the house once again that we went straight there.

We walked into the empty house and went from room to room. Every room was unique and had so much detail. I was envisioning what I wanted to do in each room already. The master bedroom had the small nook off to the side. It was considered a sitting room on the floorplan, but we had planned to turn it into a nursery. I wanted the baby to be close those first few months. I stood in the space, looking around and picturing where I wanted to put things like the crib and the dresser. Sidney stood in the bedroom, looking out the window into the large backyard. I walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around him and resting my chin against his back. “Everything alright?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Everything is perfect. I’m just thinking about putting in a swing set and maybe a slide to go along with that treehouse. The treehouse is going to need some work for sure.”

“We have plenty of time for all that,” I pointed out. “I doubt the baby is going to be interested in anything outside for a while.”

He turned around in my arms and pulled me close to him. He kissed me on the forehead and sighed. “Are you happy?” he asked.

“Of course,” I said. “Are you?”

He grinned. “I’ve never been happier. Everything about this house is perfect.”

“We did pick out a good one together,” I laughed. 

“Everything seems too good to be true,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

He lightly laughed and shook his head as if to shake off what he was thinking. “It’s nothing.”

“Sidney, something is bothering you. I can tell. You’ve been strange the last couple days. What’s going on?”

He took a deep breath and stared out the window again. “I just never thought anything like this would ever happen. I always wanted this–a family and a beautiful wife who loves me for me. But it just never seemed like it would be a reality. I can’t shake the feeling that something is going to come along and take everything that’s important to me away.”

I wrapped my arms around him tighter and leaned up to kiss him. “I’m not planning to go anywhere. All I keep picturing is us living a wonderful life together with a beautiful family and lots of love and joy in our home.”

He grinned and took in a breath as if what I said made him happy. “I hope you know how much I love you. You have changed my way of thinking on so many things. You have shown me that I don’t need to hold on to someone by giving them more and more. You’ve shown me that I can be enough just by working together and standing by each other.”

“That’s all I want,” I promised before leaning up and giving him another kiss.

“Let’s go look at paint and get this house ready for a baby,” he said, taking my hand and leading me out of the house.

The next two weeks we busily painted, had contractors come in to fix things the way we wanted them, had movers bring in furniture and rearrange things. It was quite an ordeal. We barely had any time to relax or even prepare for the wedding. I’m not sure why we thought it would be a good idea to do all these things at once. The house we were selling had also sold, so we were on a time limit to get everything out of there. And then there was the house Eliza lived in and ultimately burned down. Most of the house was destroyed and it made more sense to tear it down and rebuild. However, Sidney had no interest in rebuilding anything. He decided to sell the property and let whoever wanted to buy it start fresh with their own build. He still had the insurance payout, which he didn’t really want or need. But it seemed to give him pride that he got it rather than Eliza like she assumed she would. Now she was facing jail time and huge fines for what she did. 

Just as everything was finally being put into place and the house was coming together, Sidney and I planned to spend our first night in the new house. I made a hearty stew with homemade bread for our first official meal. The entire house filled with the smell, which was a welcome comfort. We were both exhausted from the move even though we didn’t do a whole lot other than direct the movers and contractors. It still seemed exhausting. 

“Are you going to be alright on your own when I go to work tomorrow?” he asked while we sat at the table and ate dinner.

“I’m sure I’ll manage,” I said. “And if I get too scared, I can always call Alison or Clara to come stay with me.”

He laughed. “Just warn me first so I don’t come home and try to crawl in bed with you only to find someone else.”

I laughed with him and nodded my head in understanding. “The good thing is we are closer to the station now, so it’s a shorter drive for you and if I’m really struggling being alone, I can just drive over to the station and spend some time with you.”

He laughed. “Very good point.”

When we were done eating, we washed the dishes together and put the leftovers in the fridge before finding our way to our new couch and watching a movie. We had settled in nicely and we were both loving the new house. The baby’s room was nearly complete, and Sidney had one of the bonus rooms turned into a display room for all the fire trucks he had. I also had one of the bonus rooms that I turned into an office to edit photos and keep track of all my equipment better. There was still plenty of empty bedrooms for future kids if we decided to have more later on. Everything was perfect.

Three weeks later we were sitting in a waiting room while we waited to be called back for our ultrasound. “Are you sure you want to find out what we’re having?” he asked while rubbing my thumb nervously with his.

“Don’t you?” I asked.

“Of course, I do. I just wonder if it would be more exciting to wait.”

“We are getting married in four days,” I reminded. “I have already told people we plan to announce what we’re having at the wedding. It’s just as exciting for all of them as it is for all of us. Plus, I like to have things planned out. If we don’t know what we’re having beforehand, how am I supposed to prepare?” The last week or so, I had become obsessed with setting up the baby room and rearranging things the way I wanted them. We were only halfway through the pregnancy, but I felt as if I was going to have the baby any day and if I didn’t get things set up right away, we wouldn’t be prepared. 

“You’re right. We should find out,” he agreed.

“Charlotte Heywood?” I was called. We both stood and walked towards the open door where we were led into the back. 

“Next week they’ll be calling Charlotte Parker instead of Charlotte Heywood,” he pointed out. I tightened my hand around his and smiled. Every time I thought about the wedding, I’d get butterflies. It seemed so surreal at times. 

I was instructed to lie on a cot and expose my stomach. Towels were tucked in around me before she plopped some of the gel on my stomach. Sidney watched intently with everything she did. I hoped he wasn’t getting any ideas about ordering an ultrasound machine to do ultrasounds at home. 

“Do you want to know what you’re having?” the lady asked. 

“Yes,” we both said in unison.

“I like to ask before I get started so I can avoid it if necessary,” she explained. She placed the doppler on my stomach and started to move it around, pressing hard in some areas. The baby appeared on the screen, wiggling around and kicking. I hadn’t truly felt the baby move yet. There were a few times I felt a fluttering feeling, but I wasn’t sure if that was actually the baby or something else. Seeing the baby kick and wiggle around made it more real. There was an actual moving and growing thing inside of me. I glanced at Sidney who was enthralled with the screen. I reached for his hand and smiled as he turned for only a moment to look at me.

“That’s our baby,” I whispered to him. He took my hand and squeezed tightly. Tears were beginning to brim his eyes. The tech took a few pictures then took some measurements before getting to the gender. 

“Alright, let’s try to find out what this baby is,” she said. She moved the doppler around on my stomach and found a good spot to look. Sidney and I held our breaths while we waited with anticipation. Sidney absentmindedly and vigorously rubbed my thumb with his to the point that it was bothersome. “What are your guesses?”

I took a breath, watching the screen intently. “I’ve been thinking boy for a few weeks now,” I admitted. 

“You have?” Sidney asked. “You never told me that.”

“I didn’t want to jinx it. But I’m perfectly fine if it’s a girl too, so I’m not sure what exactly I’m jinxing.”

The tech laughed. “Well, you didn’t jinx anything. It’s a boy.”

“A boy!” Sidney gasped. “I’m going to have a son?” Those tears that were just filling his eyelids were running down his cheeks freely now. He couldn’t stop crying and laughing all at the same time. He leaned towards me and kissed me on the lips, on the cheeks, on the forehead. He was just too excited to hold in his emotions. His enthusiasm made me start to cry happy tears. I wiped his cheeks with my hands and stared into his eyes while we had a moment. 

“Looks as though you have an active baby. He’s wiggling all over the place,” the tech noted. We both turned back to the screen and watched as the baby moved all over. 

“Those little fluttery feelings I get. Is that the baby moving?” I asked.

“Most likely,” she said. “Here soon he’s going to be quite a bit bigger and there will be no denying it’s him moving.”

She took some more measurements and printed out some photos while Sidney and I watched on in awe. It was all starting to feel so real now. 

After the ultrasound, we were escorted across the hall to another room where I saw my doctor for a regular checkup. Everything looked great, there were no concerns, all was looking really well. Sidney and I were giddy with excitement as we drove home. It was very difficult not to call someone and tell them what we were having. We wanted to tell the world. 

Once we were home, Sidney pulled me into his arms and kissed me fiercely. His eagerness was a welcome reaction. We still hadn’t had sex in over two months. I was beginning to question what was wrong. He held my face in his hands, kissing me with such force and passion. I lifted his shirt off of him, throwing it to the ground before going to work at unbuttoning his pants. “Wait! Wait! Wait!” he breathed against my lips. He pulled away, staring at me breathlessly.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. 

“We should stop,” he said, taking a step away from me.

“Why?” I asked. “It’s been more than two months, Sidney. I know you couldn’t while you healed, but what’s the problem now? Do you not find me attractive while I’m pregnant?”

He scoffed and shook his head. “Charlotte, that’s ridiculous. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve even known in any form. Why would you think such a thing?”

“Because you don’t seem to want to be intimate with me anymore. We’ve had plenty of opportunities. I’ve tried multiple times to arouse you, but still nothing. I’ve tried to be sensitive knowing you had an injury and could still be sore, but if you’re able to go back to work, shouldn’t you be able to do other activities too? Is it me? What did I do wrong?”

He sighed and took a step towards me, holding my face in his hands while he stared into my eyes intently. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just worried about hurting you or the baby.”

“But you heard what the doctor said. We still can.”

He tilted his head and grinned sheepishly. “I know. But it doesn’t stop my fears. The last time we tried you seemed to be in so much pain. Granted, I was too. But I was more concerned with your pain than mine. I don’t want you to be in any discomfort. I want to take care of you, not hurt you for my own selfish needs.”

I grinned and bit my lip. “You do realize I have needs too, don’t you? You can’t give me months of pleasure and then take it all away. I’m going mad, Sidney.”

He chuckled and leaned in to kiss me. “Are you sure?” he asked, while leaning his head against mine.

“Yes,” I whispered. I leaned up and kissed him passionately while I continued to remove his pants. He leaned down and swiftly picked me up in his arms. He carried me down the hall to our new bedroom and very carefully sat me down on the bed. He slowly removed my clothing, trying to be extra gentle with me. 

He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he crawled over top of me. I laid back, keeping my eyes focused on his. He leaned in and kissed me, taking his time to enjoy the kiss and be more sensual than eager. He took his time, leaving kisses along every inch of my body from each tip of my fingers all the way down to my toes. The physical sensation those simple kisses caused undid me. My chest heaved as he continued. “I’ve missed this,” I whispered.

“I’ll take care of you, always,” he whispered back before crushing his lips to mine. I whimpered against his lips as he settled between my legs. With a small adjustment of our position, he thrust his cock inside of me with careful ease. He remained still as we continued to kiss. It took my encouragement to get him to rock his hips against mine, pushing and pulling against me. He moaned against my lips as he forcefully kissed me. It was clear he was in desperate need of a release. He sat up, leaning all his weight on his knees and let out a loud growl. He grabbed my hips and lifted them off the bed so he could plunge his cock deep inside of me. His movements quickened with every thrust. 

“Yes!” I moaned breathlessly. “Yes! Yes! Oh God, Yes!” I held my breath and fisted the sheets below me as I came. I watched his face light up when he saw me come. With short, quick breaths matching his thrusts, he kept his eyes focused on mine as came, nearly falling forward on top of me. With a loud guttural moan, he loosened his grip on my hips and lowered my legs back to the bed. His pleasant sighs as he rolled to his side thrilled me. 

“I needed that,” he laughed. 

I rolled to my side to face him. “So did I,” I admitted. “Can you promise me that from now on if there’s ever a time you question how I’m feeling you’ll talk to me instead of just assuming?”

“I’m sorry,” he said, caressing his knuckles across my cheek. 

“I don’t want you to be sorry. I want you to communicate with me. If we’re going to be married, we have to be able to talk openly with each other.”

“You do realize the same goes for you right?” he pointed out. “You could have asked me how I was feeling and if I was ready.”

“I know. I’m not saying I don’t take fault in this, but we need to know that no matter what we say or how we’re feeling, we will support each other,” I said.

“I promise,” he agreed.

We kissed and almost went right into another lovemaking session when my stomach started to grumble. Sidney laughed and sat up, grabbing his pants off the floor and pulling out his phone. “Who are you calling?” I asked, sitting up next to him.

“What do you want to eat?” he asked. “I’m sure you’re craving something.”

I smiled and thought on it for a moment. “You want to know what I’ve been craving?” I asked with a giggle. “Those waffles with the mounds of strawberries and thick whip cream we had the first time I spent the night with you.”

He laughed. “I thought you said they were too sweet?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I’ve changed my mind. This baby boy has a sweet tooth just like his father.” I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. When I went to pull away, he tucked his hand behind my head and pulled me back to deepen the kiss. He sighed, reluctantly ending our kissing and rested his forehead against mine for a moment. 

“One waffle piled high with strawberries and whip cream coming right up,” he announced, making the call and ordering it. He got dressed and sat back down on the bed next to me while he waited for the delivery. 

“What am I supposed to pack for the honeymoon since you won’t tell me where we’re going?” I asked.

“You don’t need to pack anything,” he said with a light chuckle. “I highly doubt you’ll be wearing much anyway.”

“Sidney!” I scolded playfully. “I’m serious. What should I be packing?”

“Just anything comfortable,” he said. “If you need something while we’re there we can always buy it.”

“Should I be packing for warm weather or cold weather?” I asked.

He smirked. “That’ll give the secret away.”

“I need some sort of clue. I’m going mad not knowing.”

“Alright, it’s more than likely going to be warm, but I’d pack a few warmer items just in case. There is a swimming pool, but I’m not going to tell you whether it’s indoors or out. Anything light and airy is probably best. I wouldn’t mind seeing a few more sexy pieces of lingerie,” he teased, leaning in to give me a kiss.

“I better double up on the panties if you’re planning to rip them,” I joked.

“Excellent idea,” he agreed, leaning towards me. “I see lots of panties being ripped in your future.” I laughed as he kissed me. 

“There’s still so much to do the next couple of days. I’m starting to panic a little. Your mother and Mary have been obsessing over every detail and asking me what I want to do. I don’t know what I want to do most of the time. I don’t even know who is going to walk me down the aisle.”

He sat back and listened to me complain. “Why does someone need to walk you down the aisle?” he wondered.

“It’s tradition. The father usually walks the bride down the aisle. But, since I didn’t invite my parents, I’m not sure who it should be. Your mother suggested your father or one of the guys from the station. I’d feel bad choosing one over the other. This is why we chose not to do attendants. It’s just you and me who will walk down that aisle.”

“Do you regret not inviting your parents?” he asked. “We still could if you want to. I could make the arrangements.”

I sighed and tugged at a string on the comforter. “I keep going back and forth. A part of me wants them there, but another part of me is still hurt by everything they did. I don’t know what’s the right thing to do.”

“One thing you always told me was that above all else your parents were always very supportive of you and your siblings growing up. You never doubted for a moment that they loved you and I honestly don’t think you doubt that now. Deep down you know they still love you. They just made some mistakes that cost them a lot. I don’t think they ever intended to hurt you,” he pointed out. “Maybe it’s time to be the better person and extend an olive branch.”

“Maybe you’re right. I just don’t want it to turn into a fiasco.”

“Well, despite if you decide to invite them or not, I don’t think anyone needs to be walking you down the aisle. Your father is not giving you to me nor is anyone else. You are giving yourself to me. You have made the decision to marry me. No one else was a part of that. In my opinion, you should be walking down the aisle as the strong and independent woman I fell in love with. Not as someone’s property they are giving to me as if we are some sort of business arrangement.”

I grinned and thought hard about what he was saying. “You’re right. I should walk alone. There’s no reason why I need someone to give me away. I’ll give myself to you,” I declared confidently. 

“So that’s resolved. What else needs to be decided?” he asked as if he was determined to knock everything off the list we still needed to complete before the wedding. We talked for hours going over every last detail of the list of things I was supposed to decide. Sidney had an answer for every issue. My stress level went down tremendously as we finished all the last-minute decisions while we ate waffles in bed. 

Four days later, I sat in the back of a chauffeured car with Clara and Alison as we headed to the castle. We got lucky with the weather. Even though it was still cold out, there wasn’t any rain or heavy winds. We just advised everyone to bundle up before they came. 

“This is so exciting!” Clara said. “I can’t believe you’re getting married, Charlotte. I never thought this day would happen.”

“Why is that?” I asked, feeling a little hurt by the insinuation that I would never marry.

“Just because you always seem so independent. You always wanted to do things on your own and never needed someone to prove your worth.”

“I think that’s why I love Sidney so much. He makes me feel like I can do everything on my own. He stands by me, but never tries to change me or make me do things the way he thinks they need to be done. We make a good team. And he loves me like no other man ever has,” I said with joy.

“That’s for sure,” Alison agreed. “I’ve never seen someone so willing to give up everything for someone else.”

“Yes, but he didn’t have to. That’s what makes us such a great team,” I said. 

A few moments later we pulled onto the gravel road that lead out to the castle. There were plenty of people there. Some I knew, some I didn’t. I knew Sidney’s family invited a lot of their friends, which I didn’t really mind other than the fact that I didn’t know them. 

Clara and Alison got out of the car and wished me luck. They joined the rest of the crowd as everyone started taking seats. I took a deep breath while I searched for Sidney amongst the crowd. I couldn’t find him, but who I did see surprised me. Both of my parents as well as all of my siblings were seated in the front row. Alison went over and spoke to them for a moment before taking a seat next to Crowe. I wasn’t surprised she chose to sit by him rather than our family. This was another way for her to show her separation from the family. 

Sidney had to have invited them. I wasn’t sure I wanted them there until that very moment. Even though I was still very upset with the way they treated me and for how they treated Sidney, I wanted them to see me happy. I wanted them to see how loved I was by Sidney and he was who I was meant to be with. He deserved their respect. I just hoped they didn’t cause a scene.

When it looked as if everyone was seated and I could hear the music playing, the driver came around and opened the door for me to get out. I took a deep breath and exited the car, walking through the grass towards the crowd. At the end of the aisle stood Sidney with that gorgeous smile and perfectly chiseled face. Why he chose me was still a mystery, but I was happy he did, because I knew I’d choose him every day for the rest of our lives.

I walked down the aisle and took his hands. He took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders as if a weight had just been lifted off his chest. 

The minister began welcoming everyone and speaking for a moment about marriage. Then he asked that dreaded question about if anyone has any reason why we shouldn’t be married they were to speak now. For some reason, I had this sickening feeling that someone from my family would say something. Maybe not my parents, but one of my siblings just to be a stinker. Thankfully no one said anything. 

“Sidney, do you promise before God, your family and friends that you will love, comfort, honor, and protect Charlotte and be faithful to them as long as you both shall live?” the minister asked.

He sighed contently before answering. “I will.”

“Charlotte, do you promise before God, your family and friends that you will love, comfort, honor and protect Sidney and be faithful to them as long as you both shall live?”

I grinned excitedly up at Sidney. “I will.”

“Join your right hands and repeat after me,” he instructed. 

“I Sidney, take you Charlotte to be my wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part. According to God’s holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow.”

“I Charlotte, take you Sidney to be my wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death is do part. According to God’s holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow.”

The minister said a prayer and a hymn was sang by all. The minister asked for the rings where he recited another part of the traditional vows blessing the rings. 

“Heavenly Father, by your blessing let these rings be to Sidney and Charlotte a symbol of unending love and faithfulness; to remind them of the vow and covenant which they have made this day through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Sidney was handed my ring by the minister. “Charlotte, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honor you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Sidney slipped the ring on my finger, matching it up with the engagement ring he’d given me just a few short months earlier.

I was handed Sidney’s ring next and I took his hand in mine. “Sidney, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honor you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” I put the matching ring to mine on his finger and squeezed his hands excitedly. He tried hard not to laugh with excitement until it was final. 

“In the presence of God, and before this congregation, Sidney and Charlotte have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. That have declared their marriage by joining of hands and by giving and receiving of rings. I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife.” Sidney and I grinned excitedly at each other as it was almost official. “Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.” 

The minister ushered us over to a table where we signed the registration and another prayer was said over us. When all vows had been spoken and all legal documentation had been signed, he told Sidney he could kiss his bride, which Sidney took great pride in doing.

We walked back down the aisle together as one while our family and friends cheered and threw flower petals at us. We were both grinning from ear to ear with happiness. He pulled me to him and kissed me again, ignoring everyone else around. “I hope you aren’t upset to see your family here. I just felt like you would regret it if they weren’t here to see this special moment in your life.”

“You were right,” I said, tightening my arms around him. “I’m glad they’re here. I didn’t think I wanted them here until I actually saw them. So, thank you for knowing what I needed before I even did.”

I leaned up and kissed him again feeling entirely content and happy. “It’s my job as your husband to know what you need.”

“And it’s my job as your wife to know what you need,” I said, grinning. I had a little surprise for him as a wedding gift. Once everyone came by to congratulate us and wish us well, my surprise arrived. The fire truck that had been a symbol of our union from the very beginning pulled onto the road. I had to ask a lot of favors to make this happen. 

“What’s going on?” he asked with a laugh.

“We are being escorted to the reception on the fire truck,” I explained. He laughed and shook his head in amazement. Sidney and I walked over, and I was lifted up into the cabin before Sidney joined me. Tom drove and honked the horn a couple times for his excited children while everyone else cheered and watched us pull away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone is questioning their relationship, even though they are right for each other and both of them are happy in the decisions they are making, it is still early in their relationship. There are going to be ups and downs and communication problems at times. I've been with my husband for almost 20 years and we still struggle with communication. I think it's natural for all couples especially early in relationships.
> 
> It's not over yet. There's still a couple more chapters. I think only 3. When it's over I'll make it very clear that it's the end.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have completed this story! I'm going to post a chapter each day this week until it's done. There should be 3 more chapters and a short epilogue to finish it up. My goal was to get this story off of everyone's reading list so you can add another story. Whether that's one of mine or another is entirely up to you. 
> 
> I want to give a huge shout out to Amy who has been a driving force for me writing or posting chapters each week, checking in on me on twitter, threatening to hold me hostage, showing me all the love and keeping me going. You truly are the best!

The reception was intimate at the Parker home. I was surprised to discover the whole bottom half of the home was nothing more than a large room with support beams throughout. The whole room was lit up with delicate lights and candles with white flowers of all kinds everywhere. Tables were set up all around the dance floor and a small table with a towering cake sat in the corner. Sidney and I had a moment alone at the house while we waited for people to arrive. We went for a walk along the paths of his family home, hand in hand just like we did the day he asked me to marry him.

“Are you happy, Mrs. Parker?” he asked.

“I’ve never been happier,” I said. “Everything about today has been perfect. I’m the luckiest woman in the world to have you.”

He stopped and pulled me towards him. “I feel as if I’m the lucky one. I’ve never known someone who could love and give so much to someone else simply be being themselves.”

“I hope I always give you what you need.”

“I hope I’m always able to give you what you need. I’m glad you taught me that giving someone what they need doesn’t come with a price tag.” He smirked and pulled me closer to him. “Doesn’t mean I won’t be spoiling you from time to time. The lavish honeymoon we are about to go on being the first of many.” 

“You still won’t tell me?” I questioned with a giggle.

“You’ll find out soon enough. We leave in the morning,” he informed. I was excited to see where he had made arrangements for us to go. I imagined it was someplace spectacular.

“How long will we be gone?” I asked, trying desperately to find some clues.

He breathed a sigh and swayed us back and forth. “At least two weeks, but in all honesty, we can stay as long as you want.”

I laughed. “I think two weeks is long enough. Wouldn’t you want to get back to work?”

“Work can wait,” he said laughing. “I just got used to my sleep schedule again and now I’m going to go and mess it up once more.”

“And when the baby comes, you’ll be taking off even more time, messing up your pattern all over again,” I reminded.

“I have never taken so much time off from work than I have this year. But I’m glad every time I have, it’s been spent with you.”

“Me too,” I agreed, leaning up to kiss him.

When we noticed people had started to arrive at the house, we headed back to the house and had a photographer of my choosing take photos. It seemed like it took forever to get through all the shots. I would have never taken so long and kept the bride and groom from their guests. But I guess every photographer was different. I hired the man because his sample photos were similar in nature to what I took. I did on occasion start to take over and instruct the type of shots I wanted taken instead of letting him do the instructing. Thankfully he didn’t seem to mind. 

When photos were finally done, we entered the large room and Sidney led me to the dance floor to people cheering. He swung me around and brought me to him with a grin on his face. We danced slow and close, with no need for words as we stared into each other’s eyes. That moment was as if we were the only ones in the room. Towards the end of the dance, Sidney spun me around before bringing me back to his arms. 

“Are you trying to make me dizzy?” I asked with a giggle.

“I suppose I should have warned you before I made that move,” he said with an apologetic look on his face.

“It’s alright,” I assured. “I’m sure if I wasn’t pregnant, I would have been just fine.”

“I’ll have to remember that,” he promised.

We danced and ate an extravagantly catered meal, visited with family and friends, laughed and enjoyed every minute of the night. Everyone kept asking us about the baby and when we were going to reveal whether it was a boy or girl. Sidney kept telling them he had a big reveal coming after the cake cutting. I didn’t know what type of reveal he had set up, but I was excited to see everyone’s reaction to the news.

After the cake cutting, Sidney quieted the crowd and began a speech. “First off, I want to thank everyone for coming and sharing this day with us. It means a lot to have all of your support and friendship. I want to thank my parents and my family for putting this day together and taking care of every detail to make it special. It’s beyond anything I think either of us could have imagined. I also want to thank Charlotte’s parents and her siblings for being here and supporting us and raising an amazing daughter. I hope in time we can get to know each other better. And lastly, I want to thank Charlotte.” Sidney turned his attention to me and took my hand in his. “Thank you for being the light of every day. Thank you for being the best part my life and bringing joy into every moment of every day. Thank you for showing me what it means to truly love someone. Thank you for agreeing to take photos of a bunch of crazy firemen.” The crowd laughed, but to us, it was a special heartfelt moment. “I love you more than you’ll ever know. You have given me more than I could have ever imagined. You have given me hope for a future. I hope I’m always able to show that love in the simplest of ways.” I took a step towards him and kissed him. He deepened the kiss and held me close until the lights were dimmed and suddenly music started to play. 

“What’s happening?” I asked.

He took my hand and led me across the room. “You’ll see.” We sat down at a small table that had been brought out to the middle of the dance floor. A projected video appeared on the wall as everyone got quiet to watch. A slideshow of pictures from Sidney’s childhood and my childhood filled the wall. Some were funny and embarrassing, while others were very sweet and endearing. Words were projected in between sets describing how we grew up and where our lives took us. Then it showed pictures of when we first met. I wasn’t aware of it, but one of the guys had snapped some pictures of me taking photos of Sidney during the calendar shoot. Almost as if even then they knew there was a connection and it needed to be documented. Of course, the room whistled and cheered to see Sidney’s body portrayed in the photos. I glanced at Sidney who looked entirely red from embarrassment. There were pictures from our first date in the helicopter, the pictures I took with my phone to add to Facebook, many pictures we had taken together over the course of the few months we had been together, pictures of Sidney kneeling and kissing my stomach with the caption about a baby being created. So many pictures of us being happy and creating our lives together filled the screen. I was practically in tears as I watched it. The last photos were of the ultrasound and the final words reading, ‘It’s a BOY.’ The whole room cheered with excitement as Sidney had found the best way for the news to be revealed.

“Did you like it?” Sidney asked.

I wiped the happy tears away from my eyes and turned towards him. “It was beautiful. I had no idea you were putting this together.”

“I didn’t actually,” he admitted. “I’m not that tech savvy. I had the idea, of course, but it was your sister who put it all together. She called up your parents and asked for all the photos. Precisely why I had to invite them. We couldn’t exactly ask for photos and then not invite them.”

“Now it all makes sense,” I laughed. “I am glad you invited them. I hope with time we can move past all the hurt and learn to have as normal a relationship with them as possible.”

“I think they’re ready. I’ve actually talked to both of your parents quite a bit the last few weeks.”

“You have?” I questioned. 

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. It’s not like I was trying to keep our conversations from you. Your father actually called me to thank me for helping them and for making you happy. He wanted to set up some sort of payment plan to be able to pay back the money. I insisted he didn’t have to, but he felt like it was the right thing to do to prove to you that he loves you more. He doesn’t want you to feel like your worth to the family is dependent on money. So, he’s paying me back a very small amount every month. He will more than likely never pay me back all that he owes in this lifetime, but it’s alright. I’m not worried about the money. I’m more concerned with you feeling loved by your parents. They do love you, Charlotte. They want to make things better.”

The happy tears I had shed just minutes ago came even stronger as he admitted what he had done. I kissed him hard and hugged him tightly. “Thank you,” I cried. 

“You’re welcome,” he said simply before kissing me again. We had both sort of forgotten about the crowd of people behind us who were eagerly waiting to congratulate us on the news of having a boy. When we finally turned our attention to them, we were bombarded with hugs and well-wishes. 

The night had dwindled down and people started to leave. I was exhausted and ready to go home as well. My parents approached me towards the end of the night. They had barely spoken a word or two to me all night. Sidney pulled me close to his side as they approached. My father extended his hand towards Sidney, which Sidney shook politely. 

“You look absolutely beautiful today, Charlotte,” my mother said. “I’m so thankful we were able to be here to share this moment with both of you.”

I smiled and nodded my head. “I am too.”

“You both look very happy,” my father said. “We wish you a long and successful life together. It’s not always easy, but if you work hard and want your marriage to be successful, you can make it.”

Sidney tightened his arm around me and turned in my direction with a grin. “I suppose we have some good role models to look to between my parents and both of you, who through it all have become stronger and more dedicated to their marriage than ever. I believe we both want the same.”

“Absolutely!” I agreed, grinning up at Sidney.

“With that attitude, your marriage will withstand anything,” my father added.

“Thank you again for having us. We look forward to seeing our grandson, if you wish for us to be a part of his life,” my mother said.

I took a deep breath and made a step closer to give her a hug. I was extending the olive branch as Sidney suggested. “Of course, we want you to be a part of his life. He needs both sets of grandparents.” I hugged my father too before joining Sidney again. We parted on good terms and that in itself was the greatest gift I could have been given on my wedding day. 

The following day, Sidney and I packed up the last of our bags and were driven to the airport. On the way there, I wondered if we would be flying on a private jet. I imagined Sidney’s family probably owned at least a couple private airplanes. But we didn’t. Even if they could afford a whole fleet of airplanes, it wasn’t their style. We did fly first class to wherever we were flying. I was informed by Sidney that we had to change flights a couple times, so it didn’t really matter where the pilot said we were flying to. It wasn’t our final destination.

“Can you please tell me already?” I begged. “At least give me a hint?”

Sidney laughed and took my hand in his. “Picture a beach house all to ourselves with a staff to wait on us during our stay. Picture being able to walk right out the back door of the house and step onto warm sand while you watch the waves gently roll in.”

“You make it sound so perfect,” I said.

“It will be,” he promised. “I do hope you packed your camera.”

After many hours of travel, I was finally clued in to where we were going. Sidney had rented a private beach house with beach access in Antigua. The house was amazing. One whole side of the house was mostly windows looking out towards the ocean. A large pool sat at the back of the house and just as Sidney had described, a few short steps from the house was a sandy beach to walk along. I was in awe that such a place even existed, and we were going to be able to call it home for a short time.

The staff Sidney spoke of appeared. There was a private chef, a couple women who were in charge of keeping the house clean each day, and an entertainment coordinator whose job was simply to book any and all excursions or experiences we wanted to try. He handed us a book with lists of all the places to go and services offered. I imagined we would want to try just about everything. I’d never been somewhere so breathtakingly beautiful in all my life. My camera was going to very busy during our trip.

The chef also handed us a menu with meal options we could order from. Sidney explained that usually the chef cooks whatever he chooses, but since my palate changed from day to day with cravings and avoidances, he made arrangements with the chef to let us decide what he makes. I imagined that didn’t go over so well with the chef and probably cost extra to accommodate. 

Once the staff left, Sidney pulled me to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and grinned excitedly. “What do you think, Mrs. Parker? Did I pick a good honeymoon destination?”

“This is exquisite. I can hardly contain my excitement. I want to do everything while we’re here.”

He laughed. “We can.”

We did do so much in our two weeks stay. We explored local museums learning of the culture and history of the island. We went snorkeling and saw so many beautiful and colorful sea creatures. We had couple’s massages right at the house. We swam in the warm pool right outside the doors. We walked the beach multiple times a day. We visited historical sites like Clarence House. We chartered a sailboat and saw the Pillars of Hercules. I took so many pictures of everything. My most favorite thing of the whole trip was simply waking up next to Sidney with his hand splayed across my growing tummy and hearing the waves of the ocean crashing against the beach right outside. 

I woke one morning and marveled at how perfect my sleeping husband was. The glass doors that led to the beach were open wide letting in the warm air and the sounds and smells of the sea. I gently combed my fingers through his hair, which caused him to smile even though his eyes remained closed. 

“Good morning, wife,” he whispered, tightening his arms around me. 

“Good morning, husband,” I whispered back. He opened his eyes and moved to kiss me gently on the lips. 

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“I always do when I’m next to you,” I answered.

“It’s going to be hard to leave this place,” he said.

I grumbled and curled into a fetal position. “Do we have to leave?”

He chuckled. “No. We can stay as long as you want.”

“I do want to go back and see our friends and family, but it’s so peaceful here and I feel relaxed.”

Sidney leaned over and kissed me again. “We can stay a little longer,” he suggested. “Maybe just a week more.”

“I think I like that idea,” I agreed, kissing him again. 

“I’ll make the arrangements.”

“What’s on the agenda today?” I asked.

“Nothing,” he said, leaning on his elbow and pulling me across the bed to be closer to him. “We are staying in and enjoying the day in bed.” 

“Are we?” I asked seductively.

He started kissing my neck, humming his response with his deep, sultry tone. I wrapped my arms around his neck, enjoying his kisses. I closed my eyes and let myself fall into his spell. He crawled over top of me and lifted my legs to open me up. With careful movements so as not to put too much pressure on my growing stomach, he pressed his cock into me and rocked his hips against mine. I was sent into oblivion within moments, moaning and crying out for more. Sidney’s thrusts were quicker and harder, causing me to have that rush of pleasure fill me over and over. He groaned and scrunched his face as he got close. He gripped the headboard with his hands and with a few deep thrusts came deep inside of me. I moaned and laid back on my pillow entirely content. Sidney chuckled before kissing me deep and passionately.

“Another week of that and we won’t ever leave,” he said. 

“Why do you think I wanted to stay?” I asked. I rolled to my side and curled up next to him. “This has been the most amazing trip I’ve ever been on. I can’t imagine anything ever topping it.”

“We have an entire lifetime to go on more trips. Anywhere you want to go, we will go.”

I believed him when he said we could go anywhere I wanted. I was sure we would travel all over the world, seeing and experiencing everything there was. But sometimes it was more fun simply staying in and curling up in bed next to him. 

“Seems as if the vitamin D is doing you some good, Mrs. Parker,” he said while we took a stroll along the beach just as the sun was going down. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked in step with each other. 

“I could say the same about you. This trip has truly been a wonderful experience. I think it’s brought us closer together and relaxed both of us. It’s been nice not having to think about anything.”

He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my shoulder. “I agree. Should we stay?” he asked, grinning from ear to ear.

I laughed and shook my head. “We’ve already overstayed our trip. Everyone back home is going to start wondering what happened to us. Besides, we have a doctor appointment next week.”

“We don’t want to miss that,” he said. 

On our last night at the house, we laid in each other’s arms after just making love. Neither of us could sleep. Our three-week stay had finally come to an end. As much as I wanted to stay longer and spend every moment with Sidney, we had to go back to reality. I had appointments booked with clients wanting photos, Sidney was needed at the fire station, and we had an appointment with the doctor to check on the baby. 

“There is something we haven’t discussed a whole lot that maybe we should start discussing,” I said.

He rolled to his side and placed his hand on my tummy. “What’s that?”

“Names.”

Sidney laughed. “Do you have any favorites in mind?”

“I’ve got a few. What about you? Have you thought about any?”

“Well, I suppose we could name him Sidney Junior,” he laughed.

I rolled my eyes. “How original. I’m serious. I want to give him a strong name with meaning behind it.”

“Tell me your thoughts,” he said.

“These are a few I’ve been considering,” I began, sitting up slightly in bed. He followed and sat up, placing his hand back on my growing tummy and rubbed his thumb across my skin. “Dominic, Adler, Simon, Julian, Hadyn, Brend...”

“Wait!” he stopped, rubbing his hand on my tummy more and looking very intense. “Say that last one again?”

“Hadyn?” I asked, confused by what he was doing.”

He laughed and leaned down to kiss my tummy. “I can feel him,” he breathed quietly.

“He’s always moving,” I laughed. “He’s a very active baby.”

“But I can feel him moving. He kicked when you said Hadyn. There he goes again,” Sidney said excitedly. “He likes the name. He’s chosen his own name. Hadyn it is.”

“Hadyn Parker,” I repeated with a grin. “I like it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is significance to the name choice. Can anyone figure it out? I'm sure it won't be hard.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to make the final two chapters just one big chapter. I will still post a short epilogue tomorrow.
> 
> For those who couldn't figure it out or didn't see it mentioned in the comments, the name Hadyn is a Welsh name meaning Fire. I thought it was a fitting name. 
> 
> This has been a fun story to write. I never planned to continue it past the first chapter, but I'm glad everyone begged me to continue. It's been a fun journey to go on with this Sidlotte. I'll be focusing on finishing my ranch story and my new one A Drop In The Ocean before starting any new ones. Both stories only have about five more chapters. I have a Crowe/Alison story planned next as well as another modern story and regency era story for Sidlotte. I'm always coming up with new ones.

We returned home a week after we were intending to. The empty house was a welcome sight after the long plane ride. It was good to be home. “Let’s worry about unpacking tomorrow,” I suggested. “I’m exhausted.”

Sidney took my hand and led me to the bedroom where he helped me undress and curl up under the covers. He slipped in behind me and wrapped an arm around me. His hand rested at my stomach. While I tried to sleep, Sidney chuckled quietly to himself a couple times. Our little Hadyn had gotten very active and even more noticeable by Sidney. As much as I enjoyed feeling him kick, sometimes I got a little annoyed, especially when I was so tired that all I wanted to do was sleep but he kept me up. Thankfully in time he calmed down and both Sidney and I were able to get some sleep.

The next day we were bombarded with visits from Sidney’s family. 

“Look how great you look,” Mary gushed, placing her hands on my stomach. “You have doubled in size since the last time I saw you.”

“Have I?” I asked, looking down at my stomach. “He is getting much bigger. Sidney can feel him move now when he’s kicking.”

“Our little Hadyn is going to be a great fireman someday with how active he is,” Sidney added while coming up behind me and placing his hand on my tummy.

“You decided on a name already?” Tom asked.

“He decided on a name,” Sidney explained. “Every time we spoke the name he’d kick.”

Tom laughed. “I remember Alicia being that way. She was always moving and kicking.”

“Exactly why I had to have a cesarean with her,” Mary added. “She was so active, she moved into the wrong position and never moved back.”

“That was the scariest day of my life,” Tom said with a chuckle. Neither of them was aware, but the way they spoke only made me more nervous and fearful that something would go wrong. Sidney sensed my tension though. He made a point to rub my back supportively and change the subject.

“What’s new at work?” he asked. “Any new stories to share?”

“You know that lady who called just to see the men from her calendar?” he asked with a chuckle. Sidney nodded his head. “She called again asking for us to come. We almost didn’t, suspecting she was probably calling just to flirt with us again. But, just in case we headed over. She seemed fine at first and we simply indulged her for a moment, but then we started to notice something off. She was slurring her words and talking about things that didn’t make sense. She pointed at her shoes and called them her brothers, strange things like that. We decided to take her in just to be safe. Turns out she was having a mild stroke and was confused about what she was doing. She had to move into an assisted living home. And guess who came to help her move?”

Sidney grinned as if he enjoyed the story. This was the sort of story I liked hearing about. The good things the men did in the community wasn’t always just about putting out fires. They helped people and made a point to show compassion and respect for those in need. “I wish I could have been there. Maybe I’ll have to stop in and pay her a visit.”

Tom nodded. “I bet she’d like that. But at least now she has limited phone access. We shouldn’t be getting anymore phone calls from her,” he laughed.

Shortly after Tom and Mary left, Sidney’s parents came by asking how our trip was and of course, how the baby was. They stayed for a long time talking and asking how things went. They didn’t leave until Clara and Alison came by. Thankfully they didn’t stay too long. They just wanted to welcome us home and bring over a dinner. I thought it sweet that they made us a dinner for our first night back home. It definitely helped to not have to think about making something. We were able to pop it in the oven and eat a little while later. Sidney could tell I was getting tired and insisted I head to bed. He laid down with me for a little bit before he got up and cleaned the dinner mess and even unpacked our suitcases. More than anything, he was trying to get back into his normal sleep pattern for work. 

The weeks went by quickly and we got back into our normal routines. Sidney went back to work at the fire station. I started doing photoshoots fairly regularly with the weather turning to a more agreeable temperature. We were going into the doctor more and more with each passing week and having more tests done to ensure everything was going well with the baby. It seemed as every week got closer, my anxiety was getting stronger. I kept thinking about if I’d be a good parent. Would I be able to handle the labor and delivery? What if something went wrong and the baby was in distress? What if he wasn’t in the right position for a normal birth? What if I had to have a cesarean like Mary did with Alicia? I had so many thoughts constantly running through my head. No matter how much Sidney tried to reassure me everything would be fine, there were times I sensed he had the same fears running through his mind. He was constantly counting the amount of movements he felt, monitoring if the baby was still active and listening to his heartrate with the doppler obsessively. 

The way I distracted myself was to write in the baby book and continue to prepare the nursery. On occasion I’d go shopping with Alison and Clara to look at baby clothes and pick up a few items I thought I’d need. Clara and Alison were constantly gushing over every little outfit they picked up and insisting I get it for him. He had a closet full of clothing.

My parents and siblings came for a visit when I was around thirty weeks along. My mother wanted to contribute to the preparations for the baby and had handsewn a beautiful quilt. She had even embroidered his name into one corner to make it extra special. I was able to show my parents around our house and talk about our plans for the many rooms upstairs. Sidney spent a lot of time outside with my siblings showing them the treehouse he had repaired and fixed up even better than it was before. He had even put in a swing set and slide with intentions to add items as time went on. My younger siblings loved it.

“You seem happy, Charlotte,” my mother said as we sat on the deck sipping tea while watching my siblings with Sidney and my father.

“I am happy. Sidney is exactly who I always pictured myself falling in love with. He’s kind and caring and wants to do good for everyone around him. He doesn’t expect anything in return or have conditions for his kindness,” I said admiringly. “He’s a good man. He takes care of me and would sacrifice everything for my happiness. Not that I’d ever expect him to.”

“I am glad you were able to find that in someone. It’s what I’ve always wanted for you; for all my children. I suppose we make a lot of mistakes as parents and have to learn to live with the regret of those mistakes,” she said with a melancholy tone.

“I don’t want you to live with regret,” I said. “I’ve moved past everything that’s happened. I’m more thankful that even when I left to start my own life and get away from what I was inevitably being forced to do, you let me go. You could have easily come after me, tried to convince me to follow through with what I was supposed to do. But you didn’t. You let me choose my own path and for that I will forever be grateful.”

She nodded her head and looked as if she might start to cry. “As a new parent, I want you to take this piece of advice from an experienced parent. Always be open to learn from your children. Be prepared for them to teach you more than you’ll ever teach them. You have taught me how to be a better parent for the rest of your siblings and I will forever be grateful for my eldest child giving me that lesson.”

I leaned forward and hugged her tightly, thanking her for her wisdom. I tried to excuse the tears away as being emotional from the pregnancy hormones, but it was simply the kindness of her words that got to me. I hoped there would be even more visits from my parents in the future.

As we got closer to delivery, Sidney and I spent hours talking and preparing how we hoped the delivery would go. We wanted every detail planned out even down to who we would call first after the baby was born. We had it all planned. Our doctor thought our plan was very detailed and prepared us that it’s great to have a plan but to be prepared for the unexpected. We even had a plan for the unexpected. It was important to us to have everything planned out.

I stopped taking photos when I got towards the end. I was still busily editing photos for a few clients but going on shoots was particularly hard to do with my large abdomen. 

I folded and refolded every article of baby clothing into the drawers. I spent hours rearranging and organizing toys and baby items into categories of size and weather appropriateness. Sidney had already planned his time off from work and I was anxious for him to be home with me every day rather than have those few days a week where I was left alone. Thankfully, Sidney was able to take off as much time as he needed and planned to take off quite a bit to have the opportunity to bond and not miss a moment of Hadyn’s growth.

“It’s getting close. How are you feeling?” my doctor asked at our thirty-six-week checkup.

“Nervous,” I admitted. Sidney agreed.

“It’s normal to have those feelings, especially with your first. But everything is looking great. He’s right in position where he needs to be, he’s measuring on target, his heartrate and kicks are strong. Everything is normal.”

“Is there any way to tell when we are close to delivery? Signs I should watch for or be concerned about?” I asked. 

“It’s not uncommon for first time babies to go past the due-date. I don’t suspect you’ll be going into labor anytime soon. You still have a few weeks left before you reach forty weeks, which is what we prefer women to hit. Although if you were to go into labor in the next couple weeks you wouldn’t be considered at risk or have anything to worry about. You’ll be considered at term next week and the risk factor of something going wrong goes down significantly at that point. There’s no way to predict labor, but obviously when you start to have contractions that won’t go away, it’s usually a sign it’s happening.”

“What about when she goes into labor?” Sidney asked. “Do we go straight to the hospital or wait it out?”

“Labor can be a tiresome and unpredictable event. Many women come in believing they are in labor only to find out it’s not the case. I always encourage my patients to stay at home where you are more comfortable until the pain becomes unbearable. Unless, of course, you suspect something is wrong.”

“What would you consider wrong?” I asked.

“You don’t feel the baby moving, you have any bleeding, you pass out from the pain, anything that doesn’t seem right you go straight to the hospital and even call them when you are on your way so they know to expect you.”

I took a deep breath, feeling even more anxiety with all the possibilities of the unknown. I wanted the labor and delivery to be over with so I could see him and know he was alright. 

“Thank you for answering all our questions. We are anxious to meet this little guy,” I said, rubbing my protruding tummy. 

“These last few weeks go by fairly quickly. He will be here before you know it,” she said.

After the appointment Sidney and I went to lunch. It was getting increasingly difficult to eat anything. If it wasn’t the feeling of being full, it was the feeling of nausea that limited what I ate.

“I’m starting to wonder if I should extend my time off. Maybe I should take off a few more weeks leading up to delivery?” Sidney suggested.

“You heard what the doctor said. First pregnancies usually go past the due date. I’m nowhere near delivery yet,” I reminded.

“It’s not all about the delivery that has me concerned. You need someone to take care of you. This last week has been extra tiresome for you and I’m concerned.”

“It’s all normal,” I reminded.

“Despite if it’s normal or not, I want to be sure you’re taken care of especially while I’m not there.”

“Would it make you feel better if I asked my sister or Clara to come stay with me while you’re at work?” I asked.

“Maybe. Or I could take more time off,” he suggested again.

I grinned and took a bite of my food. “If you want to take more time off, it’s entirely up to you. I will be fine, though.”

We discussed his potential of taking more time off and came to the conclusion he would push his start date back a week when I hit thirty-eight weeks. In the meantime, he made sure to prepare meals and water and vitamins each day, so I didn’t have to while he was gone. On occasion, I would ask Clara and Alison to come stay with me for the night or even just a few hours. I did a lot of sleeping when I could though.

I had fallen asleep on the couch one night after a restless night and was awoken by Sidney rubbing my arm when he got home. “Have you been out here all night?” he asked.

I struggled to sit up and stretch my muscles. “I guess so,” I said. 

“Charlotte,” he chided. “Are you alright?”

“I just fell asleep on the couch. It’s not a big deal,” I assured.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

After going to the bathroom, I crawled into bed next to Sidney and curled up into his side. “How is my boy today?” he asked, rubbing my tummy like he always did. Hadyn started kicking him, causing Sidney to chuckle happily.

“He’s as active as ever. I don’t think he ever sleeps. I hope it’s not a sign of what’s to come,” I worried.

“Thankfully his father is used to staying up long stretches of time,” he laughed.

“How was your day?” I asked.

“Fairly boring,” he said. “We only had a couple calls. I suppose I should be thankful it was a boring night, but the adrenaline rush of multiple calls keeps me going. Anything happen during your day?” he asked. 

“I talked to my sister for quite a while. She’s having a crisis. She suspects Crowe is going to break up with her. She thinks he’s being distant.” After Sidney talked to him all those months ago, he finally talked to Alison and made things a little more official by calling her his girlfriend and telling her that he loved her. From what I heard, it came as quite a shock for all the guys for him to actually tell someone he loved them. Alison was over the moon excited and happy. But now she was sensing him pulling away. Sidney laughed and tightened his arms around me. “What’s so funny?” I asked.

“Crowe isn’t being distant because he’s planning to break up with her,” he answered.

“He’s not? Then what?” I wondered.

He sighed and pursed his lips. “You have to promise not to say anything.”

“I won’t,” I promised, tilting my head so I could look at him better. 

“I’m serious. Not even a hint.”

“Alright,” I agreed. “What’s going on?”

“He’s planning to ask her to marry him.”

“What!” I shouted. I sat up on the bed with a jolt, causing a tightening in my abdomen. “Are you sure?”

Sidney laughed and sat up next to me. “He showed all of us the ring today. He’s incredibly nervous. I’ve never seen him so bad off. He’s convinced she knows and he’s going to ruin the surprise. Which I guess would make sense why she thinks he’s being distant. Every word out of his mouth he thinks is going to be a clue.”

“When is he planning to ask her?” I wondered. 

“Next week. Both of their schedules are so different, it’s rare they have a full day off at the same time. It happened that their days off finally aligned. He’s taking her to the beach for a day of fun and he plans to ask her there.”

“This is such exciting news. She’s going to be so happy. I can’t believe my little sister is getting engaged.”

“Well, according to Crowe, he learned a thing or two from us. He’s never been with a woman longer than a month or two and nothing ever serious. When he started seeing Alison, he assumed it would be the same. But then the thought of losing her made him realize how important she was to him. He came to the conclusion that when it’s right, it’s right. It’s not about how long you’ve been together or how much time you spend together. It’s about finding that person you can entirely be yourself with. Finding that person you can’t see yourself living without. Finding that person who makes you a better person and brings out the best in you. He says that’s Alison for him.”

I sighed at how sweet he sounded. It was much different than the Crowe I had come to know. “I don’t know how to keep the news from her,” I complained. “I want to tell her now.”

“You did promise,” he reminded. I grumbled in contempt. “I’m sure you will be the first person she calls when he asks. Then you can talk all about it.”

“I guess I can wait a few more days,” I agreed sadly. “Can I at least tell Clara?”

“The more people close to her who know the more chance it’s going to get out.”

“You’re right,” I agreed, curling back into his side and getting comfortable. I was reminded of the day Sidney asked me to marry him. It seemed like so long ago. I remembered being entirely shocked, but incredibly happy when he did. I was even more thrilled that he was excited about the baby.

“How long do you think it’ll be before Hadyn has some cousins younger than him to play with?” he wondered with a chuckle.

“I can’t imagine Alison and Crowe having kids,” I said.

He sighed, getting close to falling asleep. “Me either.” 

I had a hard time getting comfortable and shutting my mind off long enough to sleep. As exhausted as I was all the time, I found it hard to sleep. Instead of disturbing Sidney, I got up and went into the baby room. For the hundredth time, I went through all his clothing, admiring the cute outfits, refolding them into piles, planning out his coming home outfit, his meeting family for the first time outfit, and his first pictures outfit. I even had a first Christmas outfit that I bought on sale after Christmas was over. I had gone through everything over and over. Someone would probably think I was crazy with how I had his every day outfits planned out. 

I sat there in the middle of the room, looking around at all the baby stuff we had ready to go and thought about how quickly my life had changed. I never imagined my life would change so drastically. Yet here I was entirely and completely content with where my life had led me. It’s interesting how while busy making plans for the future, the future was making plans for me. 

In the late afternoon, after eating a quick lunch, I crawled in bed next to Sidney. Hadyn was active after I had just eaten, but despite the wiggling, I was able to fall asleep next to Sidney.

I was awoken a few hours later by Sidney kissing my neck and slipping his hand under my shirt to squeeze my breast. I grinned and opened my eyes to look at him. “It’s been so long,” he whispered. “I don’t want to pressure you.” He swallowed thickly as if he was in pain. “If you aren’t up to it…”

I didn’t let him finish. I crushed my lips to his and pulled him down towards me. He chuckled as I deepened the kiss. Sex was definitely trickier with the large protruding abdomen, but we were assured by our doctor that is was safe. With everything going on, we really hadn’t had much time to make love. Apparently, Sidney was feeling the need. I pulled my clothes off and rolled to my side, pressing my back against him. He wrapped his large hand around my thigh and pulled it over his leg. From behind, he lined his body up with mine and slipped his cock inside of me. He gasped from the pleasure and wrapped his arm around me to hold me closer. With every thrust, he moaned. I whimpered from the pleasure he brought me. He was so gentle and caring, which made the sensations even stronger. I reached behind and wrapped my arm around his neck, tightly holding him as I came hard. Moments later, Sidney groaned loudly and shuddered from his pleasure. I moaned again as he pulled out of me and wrapped his entire body around me. 

“I needed that,” he breathed. 

“I’m happy to oblige,” I giggled.

“Are you hungry?” he asked. “We can order some food.”

I sighed happily. “What did you have in mind?”

He chuckled. “No, I don’t choose. What does Hadyn want?”

I thought about it for a moment, wondering what sounded good. “Waffles?”

He laughed. “With strawberries and whip cream?”   
“Yes.”

“Coming right up,” he said.

The following day, Sidney spent some time working on the yard and working on repairs to the fence while I sat on the back deck and enjoyed the sun, but also the sight of my husband working hard. He was definitely a welcome sight. Even though we had been married a few months, I still found it hard to believe I was married to someone like Sidney Parker. I found it hard to believe I was even married. I didn’t think I’d ever get married. Then Sidney came along and changed the way I think about everything. He made me see the possibilities of a happy marriage, a fulfilling future, a love stronger than any force on the planet. He was such a good man with a good heart and deserved so much more than I could ever give him. 

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, breaking me from my thoughts. I hadn’t even realized he came and sat down next to me. 

I smiled sheepishly. “Mostly you,” I admitted. “How you have given me everything I could have ever dreamed of and wondering if I’ll ever be able to give you a fraction of what you’ve given me.”

“You’ve already given me everything I’ve ever wanted,” he said, placing his hand on my large tummy. “What more could I ask for than a wife who loves me unconditionally and is giving me the greatest gift of all right here?” He rubbed my stomach and leaned over to place a kiss on the baby. I ran my fingers through his hair and sighed. 

“I can’t wait until he’s here. I imagine he’s going to look exactly like you. He will have your eyes, your wavy hair, and your kissable lips,” I gushed while he laughed.

“Your lips are just as kissable.” He leaned towards me and gave me a simple kiss. I placed my hand against his cheek and brought his lips back to mine for a deeper, more sensual kiss. He chuckled against my mouth and leaned further towards me while resting his hands against my knees.

“Not quite as much as yours.”

He laughed and shook his head. “I’m planning something for next year,” he said.

“What are you planning?”

“I’m going to build you a photography studio,” he announced proudly. 

“You are?” I giggled excitedly.

He nodded his head. “Then you can do indoor shoots or outdoor. I’m going to turn our yard into a garden that would be a great backdrop for photos. You can do shoots right here in our backyard if you want.”

“That would be amazing! See what I mean? You give me everything,” I said, giving him another kiss.

“You’ll also have full access at the castle if you want to take photos there. I’m even thinking about talking to the rest of my family about renting out the area for future weddings or events. Maybe Alison and Clara could go into business with you and the three of you could become a full wedding package. You would have the venue, bartender, planner, photographer, and caterer. You name it, the three of you could do it.”

“That’s a really great idea. I could see us having a lot of success if we presented it as a full package. You are brilliant,” I giggled. “Wait until I tell Alison and Clara. This could be a huge adventure for us.”

“After our wedding, I had so many people telling me how great the area was and how magical being at the castle felt. It got me thinking. That area is just wasting away sitting there. It’s time someone gets some use out of it. I think you could turn it into something spectacular.”

I definitely will if your family approves,” I agreed.

“They’re your family too, you know,” he reminded.

“I guess they are,” I said. “It’s still hard to get used to.”

He leaned in and gave me another kiss. “Before you know it, we will be an old married couple telling our grandkids how we met.” We both laughed at the thought. I could just see us sitting around telling our grandkids about how we met at a fire station while I took sexy pictures of their grandfather. 

“We might need to come up with an alternative story to tell the grandkids,” I said. “I’m not sure our meeting is appropriate for young ears.”

He laughed. “Very good point.”

“Good thing we have plenty of time to think of something.”

“The rest of our lives,” he whispered, giving me another kiss.

The next day I got up early with Sidney, feeling as if I was about to pop.

“I think we are in the stage where he has dropped,” I said. I held my arms around my abdomen as if holding it up. “There’s a lot of pressure in my lower abdomen. I feel like a penguin when I walk.”

“A very beautiful penguin,” he assured, pulling me close to him and kissing my forehead. He rubbed my tummy and leaned down to plant a kiss where Hadyn was moving around. He talked to him for a moment as if he was actually having a conversation with him. It was the cutest thing ever when he spoke to him.

“Do you have any plans for today?” he asked while standing up and hugging me to him. 

“I’m meeting Alison and Clara for lunch. We are going to discuss the potential of creating a wedding planning service. They are both thrilled with the possibilities.”

“Just remember not a word about what I told you Crowe has planned,” he warned.

“I won’t even hint about it. I’m not even going to tell Clara. Everything will be kept secret,” I promised.

He nodded his head and gave me a kiss me. “I’ll call you later tonight when I have a chance,” he said. “Try to take it easy and get some rest.”

“I will,” I agreed. “Hadyn and I will be sitting at home watching movies and eating ice cream.”

He laughed. “I wish I could join you.” He pulled me against him and kissed me gently. 

I wrapped my arms around his neck and swayed us back and forth. “We will save you some ice cream.”

He laughed and gave me another kiss. “I find that hard to believe. Maybe I’ll stop and pick up some more on my way home tomorrow.”

I bit my lip and glanced up at him with a sheepish look. “Or you could pick up some waffles with strawberries,” I suggested.

He laughed and shook his head before giving me another kiss. “An order of waffles and strawberries will be brought to you in bed tomorrow morning. I’ll be sure of it,” he promised.

“I can hardly wait,” I giggled. 

“I should get going. Call me if there’s anything else you need.”

“I will,” I promised, giving him another kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He gave me one last kiss then kissed my belly telling Hadyn that he loved him too before darting out the door to head to work. 

I spent the morning cleaning the best I could around the house before getting ready to meet with Alison and Clara. 

We had a nice lunch and discussed our potential new business adventure. They were both entirely onboard with the idea and we spent most of the afternoon coming up with a name to call our business. We didn’t decide on an official name, but we had a list of a few potential ones. We talked about bringing on a few other friends who could offer their services and how we would go about charging for our service. We had a lot to think about and plan out before we started taking on clients. 

After lunch, I headed home and snuggled up on the couch to watch a movie. About halfway through the movie, I fell asleep and didn’t wake until Sidney called around nine. 

“Did I wake you?” he asked.

“I guess I fell asleep on the couch,” I said with a yawn. “I should get up anyway. I haven’t eaten anything since earlier today.”

“How did your lunch go?” he asked.

“It went well. We had a great time coming up with names for our business and planning out what we can offer to clients. We made some lists and plan to discuss more the next time we have lunch.”

“That’s great! I’m glad they are both excited about the possibilities that could happen. I think it’s going to be a great adventure for all of you.”

“I think so too. It’s just going to take a lot of planning to get us started,” I said. “How has your night been? Anything exciting happening?”

“Nothing major,” he answered. “We went out on a couple calls early this morning, but it’s been pretty quiet this evening. I’m looking forward to coming home and curling up in bed with you.”

“Me too. I might still be asleep when you get home. I can’t seem to shake being tired all the time.”

“Sleep as much as you can now while you still have the chance. In a few more weeks neither of us will be doing much sleeping,” he joked.

“That’s for sure.”

We talked for a little longer while I heated up some soup. He asked if I would use the doppler and put the phone on speaker so he could hear his son for a few minutes. 

“His heart is nice and strong, and it feels like he’s doing flips inside of me. I’m surprised I don’t have bruises from all his kicking,” I said.

“He’s anxious to get out and see his papa,” he said with a chuckle. 

“I’m sure he is,” I agreed. “He always gets livelier when he hears your voice.” 

“You have no idea how much I enjoy hearing that. This is something I’ve dreamed about for years. I can’t wait to be a father and it’s even better because I get to be a parent with you.”

“It won’t be long,” I said. “I feel like I’m ready to pop. Hopefully these last few weeks go fast.”

“Me too. I’m anxious to meet little Hadyn,” he said. “I’ll let you go so you can eat and take your vitamins. I’ll be home in the morning with waffles.”

I hummed in delight at the thought. “I can’t wait.”

“For me to come home or for waffles?” he asked with a chuckle.

“Both?” I said. He laughed more before saying goodbye. 

Once I hung up, I went to eat my soup, but found it hard to eat. I was still tired and really just wanted to go to sleep. After eating only a few bites of the soup, I headed to bed and curled up under the covers and fell asleep pretty quickly. 

I woke up a few hours later from a sharp pain in my abdomen. Instinctively, I reached for Sidney only to find cold sheets. I’d had these sharp pains before, but Sidney would usually rub my stomach to relax me and make them go away. He wasn’t here to do that this time. I took a few deep breaths and tried to go back to sleep, but the sharp pain hit again. I started to question if I was having real contractions, but I had no clue what they felt like. These could simply be the Braxton Hicks contractions that I’d had so many times before. I walked to the kitchen and got a drink of water only to be hit with another sharp pain. I barely made it to a chair to sit down without falling over from the pain. 

I started to think about what my doctor said. It’s best to stay at home as long as I can manage and where I feel more comfortable. This could be nothing and could go away within a few minutes. I walked to the living room and sat on the couch to watch a show. I thought maybe watching something might distract me enough to help relax me and make the pains stop. 

I was wrong. The sharp pains were coming every few minutes and were getting stronger and more unbearable with every one. I called Sidney but got no answer. Then I called Alison to see if she might be willing to come sit with me for a while until I knew if this was the real thing or not. She was at work and wasn’t going to get off for another hour. She offered to come then, so I told her to call me when she got off to see how I was doing. I tried calling Clara next, but she didn’t answer. 

I sat on the couch for nearly an hour counting minutes between contractions and timing how long each contraction was. I was sure I was in labor. I couldn’t imagine this was simply a false labor situation. I was able to get the doppler and check his heartrate just to be sure he was alright. I spent what felt like hours trying to focus on the show and breathe through each contraction. It was only a few more hours before Sidney got home. If I could manage the pain until he got home, we could go to the hospital then. 

I tried calling Sidney again, but he still didn’t answer. When the pain started to get unbearable and I was practically in tears, I called Arthur. 

“Hi Arthur. Is Sidney out on a call?” I asked, breathing heavily in between my words to sound as normal as possible.

“He is. There’s a huge factory fire in the town over. We got called in to help support the smaller station. Is everything alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “I just needed to talk to him. When he gets back or if you hear from him before then, can you ask him to call me?”

“Will do,” he said. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” I breathed through another sharp pain. “I’ll be fine.”

After I hung up, I laid back on the couch and closed my eyes. First time labors last a long time. I remember my own mother being in agony for hours before she would go to the hospital. I could wait it out. I could wait for Sidney. I just kept breathing and trying to focus on anything. 

When the sharp pains were on top of each other, and I didn’t have a moment to even catch my breath, that’s when I decided I couldn’t wait any longer. I called Arthur again and told him I was in labor and needed Sidney to come home.

“I suspected as much,” Arthur said calmly. “I don’t know why you didn’t just tell me in the first place.”

“Arthur, please help me. I don’t think I have much more time.” Just as I spoke, a trickle of fluid came running down my leg. It was just a small amount at first, then a gush. Seeing that freaked me out more than anything else. “I think my water just broke!” I screamed.

“Relax, Charlotte. As soon as you called earlier, I already dispatched them towards you. They are on their way now. I’ll go ahead and have an ambulance sent your way also.”

“Do you know how far away they are?” I cried. 

“It shouldn’t be much longer. I’ve just called them and told them it’s an emergency. They are getting there as fast as they can.”

“Should I be pushing? I feel like I need to push,” I screamed. 

“Take some deep breaths,” Arthur instructed. “How long have you been having contractions?”

“A couple hours maybe. I lost track when the pain got really bad,” I answered through tears. 

“Alright, I need you to feel if his head is crowning,” Arthur instructed.

I reached down between my legs and felt his head coming out of me. “Please hurry. I can feel him coming. He’s right there. I need to push,” I shouted.

“Just hold on. Sidney is on his way,” Arthur shouted back.

Just as I started screaming from another pain, Sidney burst through the door still in his fireman gear and covered in soot and smoke. I sighed in relief at seeing him and cried out for him. He rushed across the room and kneeled down next to me. “He’s coming, Sidney. He’s coming.”

It only took Sidney a moment to compose himself and jump into fireman action rather than worried father and husband. I watched him swallow thickly against the lump in his throat. The other guys rushed in moments behind Sidney with supplies. With wordless precision, the guys worked together to give Sidney the supplies he needed. “Charlotte you need to push,” he instructed. I did what he said and pushed with all my might through the pain. There was a pop and Sidney told me his head was out. Another couple pushes and the rest of our baby came sliding out into Sidney’s arms. 

I breathed a sigh of relief and sat up to see him. Sidney held him in his arms and briskly rubbed him with a blanket. “Is he alright?” I cried. He wasn’t crying or moving. He looked limp in Sidney’s arms. Sidney wouldn’t answer the question, but I could see the fear on his face. One of the guys brought over an oxygen tank and put it over Hadyn’s mouth. Sidney started to do chest compressions against his limp body. All I could do was cry.

When I heard the slightest of cries from Hadyn, I collapsed against the floor. Sidney’s shoulders relaxed and for the first time since he got here, he took a breath. “He’s alright,” Sidney assured. He leaned towards me and gave me a quick kiss. “He’s perfect!” Sidney began to cry looking down at his son then at me. “We need to get to the hospital though.” 

I was helped on to a stretcher and handed the baby. Sidney placed his arm around my shoulders and walked out with me towards the ambulance. I was put into the back of the ambulance and Sidney climbed in after me. “We can take it from here, Sidney,” one of the paramedics said. 

“This is my child and my wife,” he chuckled. “I’m not leaving their side.”

“Oh,” the paramedic said with an embarrassed look on their face. “Of course.”

“Good luck you two,” Tom called. “We will come by after a while to see you and the newest member of the family.”

“Thanks, Tom,” Sidney called.

Once the doors were closed and I was finally given the opportunity to look at our baby, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. He was so tiny, but prefect just like Sidney said. Sidney leaned his head against mine as we both stared at our little boy. He had the slightest dark curls that were matted against his head, his forehead was wrinkled with worry, his eyes remained tightly shut, his little cheeks were puffy and rosy pink, his little lip quivered as if he was scared. Sidney put his finger in Hadyn’s tiny hand, and he gripped it tightly.

“It’s alright, little guy. You’re safe now,” Sidney whispered close to his ear. Hadyn began to open his eyes and relax his forehead once he heard Sidney’s voice. I couldn’t stop crying and touching his little face. 

“Are you sure he’s going to be alright?” I asked. “He’s three weeks early. He wasn’t breathing at first.”

Sidney rubbed my shoulders and kissed my forehead. “He’s going to be fine. He’s breathing on his own and doing everything he’s supposed to be doing.”

I relaxed against Sidney’s side and looked at our son with amazement. “So much for our birth plan,” I joked.

Sidney laughed and tightened his arm around me. “There’s always next time,” he said.

Once at the hospital, we were taken to a room and an exam was done for both of us. We were fine thanks to Sidney and the rest of the guys at the fire station. I didn’t want to let Hadyn leave my arms, but Sidney insisted he hold him while I try to get a little sleep before visitors start showing up. 

When I woke up a couple hours later, Sidney was grinning proudly at Hadyn while he gripped onto Sidney’s finger. A nurse came in and suggested I try feeding him. Sidney handed him over and he latched on almost immediately as if he was starving. The nurse did her checks on him, then me. I laid him against my chest and burped him while he fell fast asleep. 

“You have quite the crew of people waiting out front to come in and see you,” the nurse informed us. “Are you up to guests?”

“Of course,” I said. A few moments later a huge crowd of people filled the small room. Sidney’s parents had come, Mary and Tom as well as all the other fireman were in the room, and Alison and Clara were both there. All of them wanted to get a peek at Hadyn. We were bombarded with questions about the birth, how much he weighed and how long he was. He was loved instantly by everyone. Even the toughest of men Sidney worked with were cooing at Hadyn and passing him around with joy. Sidney followed him around the room from one person to the next. I could tell Sidney was already going to be an overprotective father. He couldn’t let Hadyn out of his sight.

“How are you feeling?” Mary asked taking my hand in hers while everyone else was busy looking over Hadyn. 

“Tired,” I answered with a giggled. 

“It was quite the birth story from what I hear,” she said. “Sidney must have been terrified.”

“Actually, he was amazing. I don’t think I could have asked for a better birth story. I’ve seen him deliver a baby before, but I never thought he would have to deliver ours. I’m glad it happened the way it did though.”

Mary smiled and nodded her head. “He seems very proud of his son. I hope you know just how much you and Hadyn mean to him. I have worried about him a great deal. He just never seemed happy and was content with living a life of misery alone worrying about everyone else around him rather than himself. Then you came along and…well, I’m sure you know the rest. I can’t even begin to tell you how much we all love you and are thrilled to have you be part of the family. He needed you even before he knew it himself.”

“I think I needed him just as much as he needed me,” I said.

“I think you might be right. And you both needed that little boy.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“Welcome to the family, little one,” Babington said as he held Hadyn in his arms. “It won’t be long before you join us at the station to help us old men put out fires.”

“Please don’t hire my son as a fireman just yet,” I called out, causing all of them to laugh. 

“Don’t worry, Charlotte. We still have lots to teach this rookie before he’s hired,” Crowe teased.

“We have a special surprise for him, though,” Arthur announced, holding up a small stuffed toy firetruck. “We thought it fitting his first toy be a firetruck.” I glanced at Sidney who had a smirk on his face. 

Once everyone had their fill of baby snuggles, Sidney and I were left alone with Hadyn once again. I was able to feed him and Sidney even changed him, which I discovered Sidney knew how to do quite well considering he helped with his nieces and nephews. 

“Are you happy?” I asked while Sidney held our sleeping baby in his arms. 

He smirked. “I’ve never been happier in all my life.”

I took in a deep breath. “Thank you for being a fireman and knowing exactly what to do to bring him into the world safely.” 

“Thank you for trusting me.” He reached out and took my hand in his. “I love you; both of you.”

“We love you too.”

After a couple days at the hospital, we were able to go home as a family of three. Sidney was very supportive and practically carried me into the house as if I couldn’t walk on my own. 

We had lots of guests stop by the weeks following his birth, all bringing gifts or toys and even some brought premade meals for us to stick in the oven. Even my parents and younger siblings came for a visit to see Hadyn and get their chance to hold him. My father was the proudest grandfather I had ever seen. He carried Hadyn around as if he was the most precious thing in the world. Sidney and my father talked for hours while they carried Hadyn around the yard.

Hadyn was such a good baby and truly was the light of our life. I couldn’t even remember how life was before him. As the weeks past, he started to develop a personality. He definitely preferred to be held and thought everything Sidney did was funny. Sidney actually got the first smile and the first giggle out of him. I imagined he’d also get the first word. 

“I was thinking about something,” Sidney began while we sat on the floor and played with Hadyn and his toys. “I want to take him into the station. I want to show him the firetrucks and see what his reaction is.”

I rolled my eyes. “You are going to have him just as obsessed with firetrucks as you are before his first birthday.”

He laughed. “Is that a bad thing?”

I sighed and shook my head. “I guess it’s what I should suspect. When did you want to go?”

“Later this evening?” he said as if asking permission.

“Alright,” I agreed. 

A few hours later we were headed to the fire station with Hadyn. We walked in and all the guys came running over to see us but mostly to see Hadyn. 

“He’s gotten so big since the last time we saw him,” Babington said.

“He eats constantly,” Sidney joked.

“He’s also nearly three months old,” I reminded. “Babies grow a lot the first few years of life.”

“What made you decide to stop in here?” Tom asked.

I grinned and glanced at Sidney. “Someone wants to show his son the firetruck.”

All the guys chuckled and gave Sidney a look. “It’s time, don’t you think?” Sidney asked. Some of the guys nodded their heads in agreement while others shook them in disbelief. Despite what anyone thought, Sidney was on a mission. 

Sidney took Hadyn in his arm before taking my hand in his other and leading us towards the garage. Once inside, Sidney turned Hadyn around and held him out so he could look at the firetruck. I giggled at how Hadyn cooed and kicked his little legs with excitement. Sidney indulged him by getting up close and letting him touch the bright red firetruck and even climbed up in the cab to show him around inside. I stood back for a moment, admiring them and feeling entirely blessed to have both of them. I had forgotten what life was like before marrying Sidney and having Hadyn. I knew in that moment just how important every decision I had ever made was. Every decision led me to Sidney, led me to Hadyn, and led me to a life filled with happiness and firetrucks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who guessed that Sidney would be the one to deliver the baby? 
> 
> Thank you all for your constant support and wonderful comments. I cherish every single comment. Epilogue will be posted tomorrow.


	16. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a quick shoutout to MissTMA for making a request for a fireman Sidney on Twitter months ago that caused my mind to go crazy with ideas and come up with this story. 
> 
> Also to all you lovely readers who begged me to continue when I originally didn't plan to.
> 
> And of course to D. Henry for the absolutely amazing calendar photos to go along with this story. How I wish we could actually have a real calendar of these men.

6 MONTHS LATER

Christmas

I had just laid Hadyn down for the night after a long weekend at Sidney’s parent’s home for his first Christmas. Hadyn was the center of attention this Christmas. He was spoiled with gifts but mostly with love. He loved his uncle Arthur and thought he was the funniest person on the planet. Thankfully Arthur was the uncle who had no problem being a big kid himself. Alison and Crowe attended the Christmas celebrations as did Clara and Stringer who had recently given a relationship a second try. This time they had promised to be more open and supportive of what the other needed. So far, they had been together for a month and it seemed like their relationship was getting stronger. I was happy for both Clara and Alison. They deserved the same type of happiness I’d found. 

Sidney came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He kissed my neck and swayed us back and forth as we looked down at our sleeping boy. He had doubled in size and was looking more and more like Sidney with every passing day. He was just beginning to scoot himself around and starting to gain the skill of crawling, which was a fun new development to watch take shape. 

Sidney had still not gone back to work and had no plans to return, which was entirely fine with me. I liked him being home and spending his time with us. I knew at some point he’d want to return, but for now we were taking advantage of the time he was spending with us. 

“Is he fast asleep?” he whispered.

“He had a very busy day. I don’t imagine he will wake up all night,” I said softly. I turned in Sidney’s arms and looked up at his face with anticipation. 

He leaned in and eagerly kissed me. “Good,” he breathed before leading me out of Hadyn’s room and towards our bed. He cupped my face and kissed me again with so much need and desire. He tucked his fingers under my shirt and lifted it over my head all the while dragging his fingertips up my body. We continued to kiss with a passion that was undeniable while we removed the rest of our clothing. I breathed a heavy sigh and let my head fall back while he left trails of kisses along my neck and collarbone and down my stomach. He lifted me up on the bed and crawled overtop of me, lowering his weight against me. He moaned against my mouth when I rose my hips against his hard cock. 

I gently bit his lip and pulled on it in a teasing way. His eyes opened, looking at me with a desire I’d come to know well and eagerly look forward to. With a few gentle thrusts, he buried his cock inside of me. I whimpered and wrapped my arms and legs around him. With slow and tender thrusts, he rocked his body against mine. Our bodies molded together as our passion was met with full pleasure. He breathed erratically as his movements quickened. I moaned excitedly as I was overwhelmed with a pure blissful explosion inside. My fingers dug into his back and my desire for more took over. 

I lifted off the bed and met his mouth with mine for a passionate and fiery kiss. He still tried to continue his rocking motion even though it was difficult to do in the position we were in. I rolled him to his back and straddled him. He chuckled as he rested his head back and let me take charge. I slid up and down his cock, causing the friction between us to build. He slipped his fingers between my legs and started to rub my clit as I came hard against him once again. He grabbed my hips and continued to roughly lower me around his cock. When his eyes closed and his hands wrapped around my ass as he held me down on his cock, I took pleasure in watching him succumb to the orgasm. A grin spread across his face as he relaxed below me. 

“Was that good?” I asked with a smile.

He hummed his response and let out the lightest of chuckles. His eyes opened to look up at me. “Better than good. It was magnificent.”

Feeling entirely pleased with myself, I slipped off of him, his cum dripping down my leg. I curled up against his side, our hot, naked bodies sticking together while we wrapped around each other. “The perfect ending to the perfect Christmas,” I said.

He sighed. “Last Christmas you agreed to be my wife. Now we are married with a perfect little boy. How could any Christmas ever top this one?”

“If someone had told you on our first date that this is where we would be a year later, would you have believed them?” I asked.

“Yes.” He chuckled and tightened his arms around me.

“Would you really?”

“I knew from the first moment I met you I wanted to spend my life with you,” he admitted. “It’s strange how you can spend weeks, months, even years with someone and no matter how much you try to force that connection with them, it’s just not possible. You never feel like it’s right. But then someone else you can spend mere hours with and know they are the one you were meant to spend your life with. You were that person. I knew from the very beginning.”

I smiled and tightened me arm around him. “All the more reason why I believe every decision I made–good or bad, was leading me straight to you.”

“I agree.” He kissed the top of my head and hummed contently as we got comfortable and ready for sleep.

Two months later, we lined up across from each other dressed in a tux and gown before walking down the aisle together at my sister’s and Hunter Crowe’s wedding. We had yet to get our wedding business off the ground, but this was good practice for us. We had spent hours planning Alison’s wedding. My sister and I were alike in many ways, but also opposite in a lot of ways. While I wanted a simple, intimate wedding, she wanted the big, over the top wedding. She had more attendants than she really needed, she wore the big ball gown that nearly swallowed her, and she chose the most extravagant venue she could find. 

I watched proudly as my sister said her vows in front of hundreds of people. I couldn’t help but reminisce about my own wedding almost a year earlier. I glanced over at Sidney whose eyes were glued on me. We shared a secret smile as we both were clearly remembering when this was us. I glanced out at the guests and saw Hadyn bouncing and cooing in Mary’s lap. Sidney’s eyes followed mine out at Hadyn and once again we shared a smile having the same thoughts and knowing what the other was thinking even if words were never spoken.

During the reception, Hadyn was doted on by his many aunts and uncles and cousins. We barely saw him as he was passed around from family member to family member. 

“Want to dance?” Sidney asked. I glanced across the room to check on Hadyn who was having fun and seemed happy enough for me to leave him for a few moments. I took Sidney’s hand as he led me out to the dance floor. He spun me around and brought me close to him, wrapping his arm around me tightly. 

“You always make me dizzy,” I laughed.

“The last time we danced and I made you dizzy, was at our wedding when you were six months pregnant,” he pointed out. I looked up at him and bit my lip nervously. He stared at me expectantly as if he knew my secret. 

“Do you already know?” I asked.

He sighed and smirked. “I’ve suspected.”

“I just found out myself, but I didn’t want to tell anyone until after the wedding, so the attention was on Alison and not me. I'm only about six weeks along. It seems birth control is not our friend. You might need to learn how to keep your hands off of me, Mr. Parker,” I teased.

He laughed as we slowly moved across the dance floor. “Not possible, Mrs. Parker. You’re far too irresistible. We will need to come to terms with having a dozen children like your parents.”

“I’m perfectly fine with a dozen kids,” I agreed with a giggle. 

He laughed boisterously. “I suppose this is your way of keeping me away from the fire station. If you’re pregnant and having a baby every year, I won’t ever go back to work.”

“I will never hold you back from doing what you love. Whenever you want to go back, I will be supportive,” I assured.

"As a matter of fact, I've been considering going back, but of course, I want to be sure you and Hadyn will be alright without me."

"We will be fine, and will look forward to you coming home after every shift." 

My mother brought Hadyn to us who was getting fussy. Sidney took him from her and gently soothed him against his chest. He pulled me close to him and swayed the three of us together with the music. I rubbed Hadyn’s back as he slowly drifted to sleep in Sidney’s arms.

“Are you happy?” I asked.

“With you, always.”

AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for you dedication to this story and wonderful comments. This fandom is absolutely amazing. I appreciate all the support and love for my stories.


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